198: Lin Ze's Changes

Just as Lin Diao and Ran Quan left the research area, the middle-aged man from before approached them.

“Please come this way! The room has been prepared. I’ll take you to the dormitory area. Here are the access cards and ID badges.” The middle-aged man handed the items to Lin Diao and Ran Quan.

“Thank you,” Ran Quan accepted them.

“Hmm,” Lin Diao took them and nodded.

After leaving the research area, the middle-aged man didn't follow, and neither did the guards.

“Phew~ I’m finally free,” Lin Diao walked on the road outside, letting out a soft sigh of relief.

“Indeed,” Ran Quan nodded. The pressure in the research area was immense, a constant feeling like the calm before a storm.

Coming out felt like the sky clearing after rain, the sun breaking through the clouds.

However, Ran Quan could understand it. After all, as the research area for “Frontier Technology,” one of the Three Great Technologies, it was normal for its defense capabilities to be terrifying.

Just some things Ran Quan accidentally saw along the way were things he had never seen on the market.

He even wondered if these things were meant for him to see, or if they were bait placed out in the open by “Frontier Technology.”

In any case, he just pretended not to know.

“If there’s nothing else, how about we go to the cafeteria for a meal?” Lin Diao asked.

“I’m fine with that,” Ran Quan nodded. It had been a while, and he was indeed a bit hungry.

“Then let’s go,” Lin Diao saw Ran Quan agree, nodded, and led him towards the cafeteria.

“Although I don’t spend much time at the headquarters, I still know where some of the basic planning areas are,” Lin Diao said as she walked. “You’ll probably get a lot of promotions this time, maybe even enough to be on equal footing with me.”

“Uh~ it won’t be that much, will it?” Ran Quan scratched his head. Was this contribution really that significant?

“You never know. Putting everything else aside, just the potential technologies and material issues involved mean your reward won’t be low,” Lin Diao said with a smile. “Frontier Technology is very practical in this regard; it’s all about meritocracy and capability. Don’t worry, there won’t be any deductions or any messy business involved.”

“Ah! Of course, I’m not worried, and isn’t Sister Lin Diao here!” Ran Quan said with a smile, “I’m not worried about this at all, and I didn’t even expect any great benefits anyway.”

“You always know what to say,” Lin Diao pursed her lips and smiled, then said, “Alright, we’re here, it’s right here.”

Ran Quan heard Lin Diao’s words and carefully looked at the building in front of him.

It was very large and impressive, with a structure and layout that felt warm and soothing, and it even made him feel hungry.

“The food here is very good,” Lin Diao said to Ran Quan with a smile.

“Then I’ll have to try it, because you know, I haven’t had anything good to eat,” Ran Quan said to Lin Diao with a smile.

Well, that was before. Since he got the system, he hadn't eaten poorly... Plus, his current life and wealth had already improved.

“Hahaha! You won’t be disappointed!” Lin Diao said with a laugh.

Inside the cafeteria, some cold food items were always available, while other cooked dishes needed to be ordered and prepared.

After all, even “Frontier Technology” couldn't afford to waste food in such a large environment.

Rice and steamed buns were also always available.

These two were not actually grown from wheat and rice underground, but rather similar special crops with considerable yields and comparable uses, so they were still referred to as such.

Ran Quan ordered some food, and Lin Diao also got some.

They sat there.

“Do you think aliens, um… people from other worlds, exist?” Lin Diao suddenly asked.

“Hmm…” Ran Quan heard Lin Diao’s words, fell silent for a moment, then nodded. He didn’t need to think; he definitely believed it: “I do believe it. And Old Jiang even said that this robot isn’t from our world’s technology, and even its material is a first discovery, with nothing similar.

Also, Sister Lin Diao, you must have thought about it too, right? You’ve had more exposure to things than I have, including information obtained from the Ground World, such as technological products, remnants, and so on. And from the goods your shop receives from outside, the Ground World produces mostly various discarded resources… and monsters… Have you ever seen anything like this?

Moreover, this robot even actively attacked me! But to insist it’s a product of the other two technology companies… you yourself probably don’t believe that, do you?”

Lin Diao listened to Ran Quan’s words, she was silent for a moment, then nodded: “Indeed… I just feel that the sudden appearance of civilizations from other worlds… it feels a bit unreal.”

“I understand!” Ran Quan nodded in agreement. Of course, he could understand. After all, he was also very shocked when he joined the Cross-World Group.

If it weren't for the system and the information and knowledge it instilled in him… he would also find it a bit hard to accept.

It was that kind of shock where one’s worldview was truly impacted, somewhat inexpressible.

It was a very complex feeling.

However, for him now, the Cross-World Group was: Oh, it’s truly wonderful.

…………

Meanwhile.

Kelu World.

Boom! Boom!

A giant creature over ten meters tall charged wildly.

It crashed through a house.

“Kill!” More than a dozen people carrying swords, long spears, and great axes rushed forward.

Their speed was extremely fast, covering several meters in a single stride.

Pfft! Pfft!

Powerful strength combined with sharp weapons could only leave horrifying wounds on the body of this huge, strange creature.

“Roar!!!” The monster resembled a wild boar, but it had six ape-like arms on its back, and its tail was long and sharp, branching into a dozen eyeless snakeheads filled with fangs.

On the rooftop of a six-story building in the distance.

Lin Ze and Lin Zhi sat by the wall, their feet dangling in the air.

They watched the battle not far away with great interest.

Nearly half a year had passed.

Lin Zhi had also become a strong individual who had consumed over a hundred Evolution Crystals.

This world remained unchanged.

Resources were refreshed daily, and monsters were generated daily.

However, as his strength grew, Lin Ze discovered many things he had never encountered before.

Such as forbidden areas and dead zones.

He had encountered several strange occurrences before, almost dying.

Some strange entities could not be resisted simply by being strong, or rather, Lin Ze’s strength had not reached the point of ignoring them.

Fortunately, he had endured through it all.

Lin Zhi was also very lucky; she had always followed Lin Ze. Many times she encountered danger, and even when Lin Ze couldn't attend to her, or even abandoned her and left, she still survived.

She continued to follow Lin Ze steadfastly.

Coupled with their time together, her feelings for Lin Ze were not love in the romantic sense, but more like the devotion of a loyal follower to their lord, yet mixed with gratitude for saving her life, admiration for a strong individual, and also some complex emotions of male-female affection.