116: Chapter 116 A Night of Schemes, Awaiting the Tide

When Ling Ye returned to his Oak Street apartment, it was already completely dark. The community streetlights lit up one by one, emitting a cold white light that contrasted with the warm yellow glow from the windows of each home. He didn't linger downstairs and went straight upstairs.

Closing the door, he took off his Third Colonial Academy uniform, hung it up, and changed into work clothes that were easy to move in. He first checked the doors and windows to confirm they were locked. Then, he took out the black stone he had obtained from Uncle Chen's shop and placed it in a prominent spot on his desk. For some reason, he felt that this stone might serve an unexpected purpose at some point.

He heated a tube of high-energy nutrient paste and swallowed it down with water. The taste was still lackluster, but the energy it provided was real. While eating, he wasn't idle; his personal terminal floated before him, displaying the "Basic Meditation and Attention Control" tutorial he had downloaded from the library today. He browsed the key points at 1.5x speed, cross-referencing them with the "Star Gods Mental Concentration Chapter" he had obtained from the Reincarnation Legacy.

"Meditation" in this world focused more on relaxing the body and mind, improving focus, and relieving stress. It had a relatively scientific method of breathing and attention guidance, but it lacked the deep techniques of "visualization" using specific imagery to temper the Mental Energy Origin. The Profound Truth of the "Star Gods Mental Concentration Chapter" lay in "using intent to control spirit, sketching eternity from the void." It was at a higher level but also more abstract, with a very high threshold for beginners. Ling Ye tried combining the two—using the Federation's breathing relaxation method to enter, allowing his body and mind to quickly enter a quiet state, then transitioning to the "visualization structure" phase of the "Star Gods Mental Concentration Chapter." The effect was surprisingly good; he felt his Mental Energy condensing faster than last night, and his subtle control over "High-Dimensional Information Perception" was becoming increasingly handy.

However, he only performed deep meditation for half an hour before stopping voluntarily. Too much is as bad as too little, especially on a night when he needed a highly clear mind to deal with tomorrow's inquiry.

Next was the main event—organizing his memories and preparing his statement.

He sat at his desk, turned off all the lights, and left only a soft desk lamp on. Closing his eyes, he sank his consciousness into the depths of his memory, actively "replaying" every detail of the day the "Crystal-Armored Beast attack" occurred, which belonged to the original "Ling Ye."

This wasn't a simple recollection, but an "immersive" review guided by powerful Mental Energy. Thanks to the repair of the "Reincarnation Pool" and the Fusion of his own consciousness, this part of the original's memory was preserved relatively intact; it had just been suppressed by the more massive memories and emotions of Ling Ye (Lin Ye) before.

The images unfolded in his mind:

Time: About a week ago, in the afternoon.

Location: The "Basic Field Survival Training" site organized by the Third Colonial Academy, located in a semi-developed valley about fifty kilometers west of Dawn City. This area was known for its complex terrain and variety of harmless native Azure Planet flora and fauna, making it the academy's traditional training site.

Personnel: The group "Ling Ye" was in, totaling six people, with a senior student serving as the temporary team leader. Members included "Ling Ye," two classmates (one male and one female, with an ordinary relationship), and three other students from different classes (memories were blurry). The team leader was a male instructor surnamed Zhao, responsible for monitoring from a distance and responding to emergencies.

Incident Process:

The group's task was to find and collect several specified medicinal plant samples according to given coordinates and draw a simple route map. Because he was distracted (thinking about his parents and academic pressure), "Ling Ye" kept falling behind the team, and his operation of the environmental recorder on his personal terminal was also absent-minded.

About halfway through the task, they passed through a dense forest of "Blue Umbrella Ferns" with large, umbrella-like leaves and arrived at a relatively open gravel slope. At the end of the slope was a small pond, and by the pond grew one of the moisture-loving plants they needed.

Just as the group dispersed to collect samples, an accident occurred.

First, a low, pained beast roar came from the other side of the hillside. The sound wasn't loud, but it carried an unusual sense of anxiety. The group members were startled and stopped their movements. Instructor Zhao's voice came through the communicator, asking about the situation and telling everyone to stay calm and wait in place while he rushed over.

But immediately after, an adult Crystal-Armored Beast suddenly lunged out from behind the rock wall above the slope! Its size was slightly larger than an average adult Crystal-Armored Beast, and the pale blue biological crystal armor covering its entire body shimmered with an abnormal luster in the sunlight. Some parts looked dull, and there were even tiny cracks in several places on the crystal armor. One of its front paws seemed to be limping, and its movements were slightly unsteady. Most striking were its eyes; the originally docile, pale yellow pupils were now bloodshot, its gaze frantic, locked tightly onto the person closest to it, who happened to be standing by an isolated rock at the edge of the pond—"Ling Ye"!

"Ling Ye" at that moment felt his mind go blank, and immense fear gripped his throat. He wanted to run, but his legs went weak. He remembered seemingly pressing the distress signal, but wasn't sure if it had been successful.

The Crystal-Armored Beast let out an even more violent roar, pushed off with its hind legs, and its massive body, carrying a foul wind, lunged straight at him! It wasn't running; it was more like... an out-of-control collision!

"Ling Ye" instinctively dived to the side, trying to hide behind the rock. But his movements were too slow, and his judgment was flawed. The Crystal-Armored Beast didn't crash directly into the rock, but at the last moment, it jerked its head, and the side of its face, covered in thick crystal armor, slammed hard into the arms and chest/abdomen that "Ling Ye" had hastily raised to block!

"Crack!" A clear sound of bones breaking. "Ling Ye" felt as if he had been hit head-on by a hovercar; his whole body flew off the ground, a sharp pain exploded in his chest and abdomen, and his vision went black. His back slammed heavily against the hard rock, followed by another wave of unbearable pain and suffocation. Then, darkness descended.

The last blurry perception was the screams of his classmates, the roar of Instructor Zhao, and the dull thud of something (possibly a tranquilizer dart or stun grenade) hitting the Crystal-Armored Beast...

The memory ended there.

Ling Ye (Lin Ye) slowly opened his eyes, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the desktop. Judging from the original's memory, this really looked like an accident. The Crystal-Armored Beast's state was clearly abnormal (dull crystal armor, cracks, frantic pupils, injured movement), and it seemed to have suddenly erupted from a hiding spot, specifically targeting the isolated and slowest-reacting "Ling Ye."

But combined with his current knowledge, there were many suspicious points:

The Crystal-Armored Beast's abnormal state: The dull color and cracks in the crystal armor might not just be due to injury or illness; could it have been subjected to some kind of "Energy erosion" or "Information pollution"? Similar to how the "sense of disharmony" in the Old Factory District affected living things? Was the frenzy in its pupils caused by physical pain, or... was its mind influenced by something?

The choice of attack target: "Ling Ye" was not the person closest to the Crystal-Armored Beast at the time (in his memory, another female classmate seemed closer), nor was he the one with the biggest movements or the most threatening. Why did the Crystal-Armored Beast ignore the closer targets and the approaching Instructor Zhao, choosing instead to attack "Ling Ye" directly? Was it a coincidence, or was there something about "Ling Ye" that attracted it? Was it the weak "Life Field" caused by long-term depression? Or... was it related to the things left behind by "Ling Ye's" parents, or the "Fusion" happening to himself?

Location and timing of appearance: The training area was a "safe zone" evaluated by the academy. Although Crystal-Armored Beasts were distributed there, they usually stayed away from paths with frequent human activity. Why did this abnormal Crystal-Armored Beast appear there? Was it "driven out" from deeper areas, or was it attracted by something?

Ling Ye listed the suspicious points one by one, constructed several possible explanatory models in his mind, and simulated the conclusions the Security Department might reach based on the on-site investigation, the Crystal-Armored Beast's autopsy (if it was killed), and the testimonies of other group members.

The official conclusion would most likely lean towards: "The Crystal-Armored Beast's behavior was abnormal due to unknown reasons (injury, disease, parasites), and it attacked the student Ling Ye, who unfortunately happened to be in its path; it was a rare accident." This would downplay the deep abnormality of the Crystal-Armored Beast's state, ignore the suspicious selectivity of the attack target, and certainly would not link it to broader "abnormal" events.

The purpose of the Security Department's inquiry might be: First, to confirm the details of the accident report and rule out human negligence or malicious factors (such as students provoking the Crystal-Armored Beast); second, to assess the state of "Ling Ye" as the victim and the only one severely injured, to see if he is fit to continue his studies and if there is a risk of psychological trauma; third, they might routinely ask "Ling Ye" if he noticed any other abnormal signs before the Crystal-Armored Beast attack (such as strange sounds, smells, lights, etc.), but they would not go into depth.

Therefore, his coping strategy should be:

Attitude: Cooperative, but not overly eager. Maintain the image of a teenager who is "somewhat silent after experiencing trauma, cautious, but trying hard to recall." Avoid showing excessive calmness, logic, or unusual attention to the details of the incident.

Content: State the basic facts and his own feelings. Clearly describe the abnormal state of the Crystal-Armored Beast when it appeared (crystal armor color, eyes, movements), emphasizing the terrifying impression of it being "sudden," "crazy," and "charging straight at him." Admit that he was scared and distracted at the time, unable to react in time, and that his memory of earlier signs (like the initial beast roar) was blurry. Do not voluntarily propose any "extraordinary" guesses (such as being targeted, premeditated, etc.).

Probing: When answering open-ended questions about "other abnormalities," he could "hesitantly" mention that before losing consciousness, he vaguely heard the Crystal-Armored Beast let out a low roar that "didn't sound much like pain, but more like... anger or something else" (planting a subconscious suggestion that the Crystal-Armored Beast might have been "influenced"). If the inquirer shows special interest in "abnormal phenomena" or asks for details beyond the scope of a routine accident investigation, he needs to be vigilant and answer more cautiously.

Defense: Never mention any abnormal discoveries made after being discharged from the hospital (Old Factory District, strange sounds, surveillance car, black stone, perception ability), and do not mention his parents or the chip information. Attribute his rapid recovery to a "strong will to survive" and "thinking some things through," maintaining consistency with Dr. Elena's conclusion.

After repeatedly simulating several sets of Q&A in his mind, Ling Ye felt he was prepared enough. He stood up and stretched his slightly stiff neck.

His gaze fell on the heavy night outside the window. In the distance, in the direction of the Old Factory District, there was only a blurry dark outline.

His heart stirred slightly, and he activated High-Dimensional Information Perception again, "extending" it toward that direction. The distance was far, and his perception was blurry; he could only vaguely feel that the "sense of disharmony" did not seem to significantly increase or decrease at night, still maintaining that low-intensity, continuous "pulsation." The surveillance car should still be there, with stable vital signs.

There were no new changes for now.

He withdrew his perception, preparing for one last short meditation before bed to meet tomorrow in the best mental state.

However, just as he sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing, and was about to enter the state—Buzz!

His personal terminal suddenly vibrated, the screen lit up automatically, and displayed an encrypted notification push from the "Third Colonial Academy Security Department." The timestamp was from a few minutes ago.

"Student Ling Ye: The inquiry originally scheduled for tomorrow at 9:00 AM has been moved forward to tomorrow at 8:00 AM sharp due to unforeseen circumstances. The location has been changed to the C-7 Inquiry Room on the third floor of the Security Department building. Please ensure you attend on time. No reply needed. — Third Colonial Academy Security Department"

The inquiry was moved forward? And the location was changed?

Ling Ye's eyes narrowed. This did not follow standard procedure. The Security Department's efficiency was usually not this "high," especially for non-emergency matters. And a last-minute change in time and location often meant... the priority or nature of the inquiry might have changed? Or, had there been a change in the personnel or department responsible for the inquiry?

Did Dr. Elena report his "abnormal" recovery, attracting extra attention from certain departments in the Security Department? Or did the watchers in the Old Factory District have some connection with the academy's Security Department, and upon learning that "Ling Ye," a student living nearby who had just experienced an "abnormality-related event," was going to be questioned, they exerted influence?

Or was it... simply an internal work adjustment within the Security Department?

There were many possibilities, but regardless, this meant that tomorrow's inquiry might require him to be even more careful.

He noted the new time and location and marked the notification as read. He took a deep breath, suppressing the slight ripples in his heart.

He would meet challenges as they came.

He closed his eyes again, focused his mind, and quickly entered a state of deep meditation.

His consciousness was as calm as an ancient well, with only the profound "structure" of the "Star Gods Mental Concentration Chapter" slowly sketching and stabilizing in the void...

The night deepened, and all was silent.

Only outside the window, the black stone placed on the desk, under the weak light of the desk lamp, occasionally flashed with an extremely subtle, almost illusory, dull luster.