124: Chapter 124 Medicine and the Price

Inside the medical bay of the Star Dust, cold white light washed over every inch of the metal walls, illuminating every suspended mote of dust in the air, leaving them nowhere to hide. The monotonous, rhythmic beeping of the instruments was like an invisible string pulled taut in everyone's heart. Even breathing was done with caution, lest they disturb the person lying on the bed at the center of the bay.

Kate lay still, her eyes closed. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath them. Her cheeks, once as fair and smooth as jade, were now utterly bloodless, pale to the point of translucency. The most heart-wrenching sight was her arm—starting from her wrist, faint blue crystalline patterns, like creeping vines, slowly climbed up her forearm. Every inch of the crystallization shimmered with a cold luster, as if it sought to solidify her flesh and blood into fragile crystal. It was the aftermath of the Light Sphere Race's energy rampage, an indelible mark left by the lingering consciousness of Shadow's erosion.

Lin Fan sat on the metal chair beside the sickbed, leaning forward slightly. His hands tightly clasped Kate's cold one, his thumb repeatedly stroking the skin on the back of her hand that had not yet fully crystallized, as if he could transfer his own warmth to her, could stop the cold crystals from spreading further. His eyes were bloodshot, his eye sockets slightly sunken. Clearly, he hadn't slept in a long time—ever since returning from the risky venture in the black market, he had stayed here, not leaving her side for a moment. He hadn't even managed a hot meal or dared a brief rest.

The acrid smell of the black market still seemed to linger in his nostrils. The image of Little Kate, covered in wounds, the pirates' malicious grins, Franklin Clinton's panicked voice during remote support, and that hard-won vial of dark matter stabilizer—each scene replayed over and over in his mind. He remembered how, to obtain that vial, he and Little Kate had infiltrated the underground trading post of the interstellar black market, only to be ambushed by space pirates. To protect the elixir and him, Little Kate had recklessly thrown herself in front of a pirate's attack, taking the hit meant for him. An energy bolt had pierced her shoulder, staining her uniform crimson. In that moment, he had nearly lost his mind.

He fought desperately to repel the pirates, then, clutching the grievously injured Little Kate and gripping the heavy vial, he had raced back to the Star Dust like a madman. Not daring to delay for a second, he immediately rushed Kate into the medical bay. Watching the doctor slowly inject the dark matter stabilizer into her vein, his heart had hammered against his ribs, a mix of desperate hope and fear—hope that this vial would save Kate's life, fear that it would bring unforeseen side effects.

"Beep—beep—"

The medical bay's monitor suddenly emitted a series of urgent beeps, shattering the silence within. Lin Fan's head snapped up, his gaze fixed on the fluctuating lines on the monitor, his heart instantly leaping into his throat. Her vital signs, which had been stabilizing, suddenly became erratic. Kate's brow furrowed tightly, a faint moan of pain escaping her lips. The crystalline patterns on her arm actually began to spread faster, the pale blue glow becoming increasingly harsh.

"What's happening?!" Lin Fan shot to his feet, his voice hoarse with tension. His grip on Kate's hand unconsciously tightened. "Wasn't the elixir supposed to stabilize her condition? Why is the crystallization accelerating?"

Outside the medical bay, Franklin's holographic projection slowly materialized. His usually smooth metallic chassis flickered slightly, clearly also operating under high load. His optical sensors flashed rapidly as he retrieved Kate's various bodily data. His metallic voice carried a trace of barely perceptible fatigue and gravity. "Mr. Lin Fan, please remain calm. The dark matter stabilizer is taking effect. It is not without results. It is currently contending with the runaway Light Orb energy within Kate, as well as the lingering consciousness of Shadow. This process will cause brief energy disturbances, leading to a temporary acceleration of the crystallization. This is a normal phenomenon."

"Normal phenomenon?" Lin Fan's voice held a suppressed mix of anger and helplessness. "Look at her! Does this look normal? If this continues, her body will be completely consumed by the crystals!"

He knew all too well the consequences of Light Sphere Race crystallization. Once the crystals spread to the heart and brain, Kate would completely lose consciousness, becoming a lifeless crystal statue, never to awaken again. He could not accept such an outcome. Absolutely not.

Little Kate sat on the bench outside the medical bay. The wound on her shoulder had been bandaged, but it still ached dully. Her uniform was still stained with dried blood and dust. Her face was equally pale, yet her eyes remained fixed on Kate inside the bay, filled with worry and self-reproach. Hearing Lin Fan's words, she slowly looked up, her voice slightly hoarse. "Lin Fan, Franklin is right. We can only trust the elixir. It's what we risked our lives for. It's the only way to save Teacher Kate now."

As she spoke, her fingertips lightly touched the wound on her shoulder. Unbidden, images from the black market surfaced in her mind—the pirate's energy bolt screaming toward them, her instinctive leap in front of Lin Fan. In that moment, she hadn't hesitated at all. She thought of AKai, of the words he had spoken to her with his dying breath, telling her to protect herself, to protect Kate, to protect Lin Fan. She could not fall. She absolutely could not let anything happen to Teacher Kate.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew Little Kate was right. He couldn't panic now. He had to stay clear-headed to deal with any unexpected developments. He sat back down by the bedside, gently releasing Kate's hand. His fingers lightly brushed her furrowed brow. His voice was so gentle it was almost choked. "Kate, I'm sorry. I was too anxious. You have to hold on. You will get better. Okay?"

Inside the medical bay, the pale purple glow of the dark matter stabilizer slowly spread along Kate's veins, intertwining with the pale blue Light Orb energy within her, forming a strange play of light and shadow. The lines on the monitor gradually stabilized. The beeping slowly ceased. The crystalline patterns on Kate's arm finally stopped spreading and even began to recede at an extremely slow pace. The pale blue glow also softened considerably.

"Great! The crystallization has stopped!" Little Kate sprang to her feet excitedly, a glimmer of light flashing in her eyes. The exhaustion and worry of the past few days finally eased a little.

Franklin's optical sensors flickered once. His metallic voice held a note of relief. "Data returning to normal. The dark matter stabilizer has successfully suppressed the energy disturbances and crystallization process within Kate. Her vital signs are stable. She is out of immediate danger for now."

Lin Fan's suspended heart finally settled. His tense body instantly relaxed, his back already soaked with cold sweat, his legs feeling somewhat weak. Looking at Kate's peaceful face inside the medical bay, his eyes grew hot, tears threatening to spill. He reached out, gently stroking Kate's cheek through the transparent bay wall, his voice hoarse. "Thank goodness... Thank goodness..."

However, this joy did not last long.

At that moment, Kate inside the medical bay stirred slightly. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Her clear eyes were still as captivating as a starry sky, but they lacked some of their familiar warmth, holding instead a touch of confusion and detachment. Her gaze slowly swept over everything in the medical bay, finally settling on Lin Fan's face. She stared for a long while, her eyes holding no trace of recognition, as if looking at a stranger.

Lin Fan's heart sank like a stone. A sense of foreboding instantly flooded him. He quickly pressed the medical bay's unlock button. The door slid open, and he hurried to the bedside, crouching down. His voice was gentle yet urgent. "Kate, you're awake? How do you feel? Is anything wrong?"

Kate tilted her head slightly, looking at him with puzzled eyes. Her lips moved, and she spoke slowly, her voice as light as a feather, carrying a hint of weakness and distance. "You are... who?"

"I'm Lin Fan!" Lin Fan's voice rose several pitches, laced with disbelief. "Kate, how can you not know me? I'm Lin Fan! We came from Earth together! We fought side by side, we faced Shadow together, we went through so much together! Have you forgotten?"

Kate shook her head gently, the confusion in her eyes deepening. "Earth? Shadow? Fighting side by side? I... don't remember." Her gaze shifted to Little Kate beside them, still filled with the same blankness. "And who are you? Why are you here?"

The smile on Little Kate's face froze instantly. The light in her eyes faded away bit by bit, replaced by disbelief and renewed worry. She hurried to the bedside, taking Kate's hand. Her voice trembled slightly. "Teacher Kate! It's me! Little Kate! How can you not know me? I'm your student! Teacher AKai told me to follow you! Don't you remember? We went to the black market together to get the elixir! You protected me! How can you have forgotten me?"

"Student? AKai?" Kate frowned, trying hard to recall, but her mind was a blank slate. No memories of these people or events existed. "I... don't remember having a student like you. I don't remember any AKai. I only remember that I am a warrior of the Light Sphere Race. My mission is to protect the Light Sphere Race. Beyond that, I remember nothing."

"No... That's impossible!" Little Kate's voice hitched, tears finally spilling over. "Teacher Kate, how could you forget us? How could you forget everything?"

Lin Fan stood frozen in place, his whole body cold, as if struck by lightning. His mind went blank. Looking at Kate's bewildered eyes, hearing her detached words, his heart felt as if seized by an invisible hand, squeezing so tightly he could barely breathe.

He had risked his life to bring back the elixir from the black market. He had kept vigil by her side without rest, all so she would wake up, so they could continue fighting together. And now, she was awake, but she had forgotten him, forgotten all their past, forgotten everything between them.

Those days spent together on Earth, those life-and-death struggles across the stars, that connection and promise spanning dimensions, those late-night heart-to-hearts and words of encouragement, that mutual protection in moments of crisis... All of it had been utterly erased by this vial of dark matter stabilizer, by its damnable side effect.

He had thought that as long as she woke up, everything could return to how it was. But he never imagined that the Kate who awoke would no longer be the Kate he knew.

The air inside the medical bay instantly grew heavy and oppressive. Only the monotonous beeping of the instruments sounded, now unbearably grating. Little Kate leaned over the bedside, sobbing quietly, her shoulders trembling slightly. Lin Fan crouched on the floor, his hands clutching his head, fingers digging deep into his hair. A suppressed sob escaped his throat. This sense of helplessness was even more despairing than facing the dark devouring of Shadow.

Franklin's holographic projection flickered slightly. His metallic voice carried a note of guilt and gravity. "I am sorry, Mr. Lin Fan, Miss Kate. I previously only detected that the dark matter stabilizer could suppress crystallization. I did not anticipate it would bring such a severe side effect—memory erosion. While suppressing the energy disturbances within Kate, the dark matter also damaged the region of her brain responsible for storing recent memories. This has caused her to forget all events from a recent period, including you, the threat of Shadow, and the black market venture."

"Memory erosion..." Lin Fan slowly raised his head, his eyes hollow. His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible. "You mean she's forgotten us, forgotten everything related to us? Then... can she remember again?"

"Uncertain." Franklin's optical sensors flashed, his tone grave. "The damage dark matter inflicts on memory is irreversible. At least with my current technology, I cannot directly repair her memories. But it is not entirely without hope. Perhaps a certain type of special energy could awaken her dormant memories, repair the damage in her brain."

"What kind of energy?" Lin Fan shot to his feet, a flicker of light flashing in his eyes, as if grasping at a final lifeline. "Whatever energy it is, however difficult to find, I will find it! As long as it can make her remember, make her normal again, I am willing to pay any price!"

Little Kate also stopped sobbing. She lifted her tear-streaked face, looking at Lin Fan with determined eyes. "I'll go with you! No matter how dangerous it is, we must find a way to awaken Teacher Kate's memories!"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Franklin was silent for a moment, accessing relevant data from the interstellar database, and his metallic voice slowly sounded: "According to the ancient records of the Light Sphere Race, in the sacred grounds of the Light Sphere Race, there is a Fountain of Eternity. Its water contains pure and powerful life energy, capable of repairing all physical injuries, even awakening dormant memories and reversing irreversible damage. This may be the only method currently available to help Kate recover her memory."

"Fountain of Eternity?" Lin Fan repeated these four words, the light in his eyes growing stronger, "Then we shall set off now, go to the sacred grounds of the Light Sphere Race, and find the Fountain of Eternity!"

"No." Franklin immediately rejected his proposal, "The sacred grounds of the Light Sphere Race have been sealed for a thousand years. A powerful energy barrier is set up outside the sacred grounds, and the interior is filled with unknown traps and trials. No one has ever successfully entered it since the sacred grounds were sealed. More importantly, we don't even know the specific location of the sacred grounds, nor do we know how to break its energy barrier."

"Sealed for a thousand years?" Lin Fan's eyes dimmed, but he quickly became determined again, "Even if it has been sealed for a thousand years, even if there are countless traps and trials, I must try. If there is no specific location, we will search; if there is no way to break the barrier, we will figure it out. As long as I can save Kate, I can do anything, no matter how difficult."

As he spoke, he walked back to the bedside and gently took Kate's hand. Kate still wore that vacant expression; in the eyes that looked at him, there was not a trace of familiarity, yet no aversion either, just pure strangeness.

"Kate," Lin Fan's voice was gentle and firm, "I know you don't recognize me now, and don't remember everything between us, but that's okay. I will take you to a place where there are things that can make you remember, and methods that can restore you to normal. No matter how far we have to go, no matter how many dangers we have to face, I will always be by your side and will not let you suffer any more harm."

Kate blinked slightly, looking at Lin Fan's determined eyes. Her lips moved, but she didn't speak, only nodding gently, seemingly moved by the sincerity in his eyes.

Over the next few days, Lin Fan and Little Kate began to get busy. While taking care of Kate, they had Franklin do his utmost to retrieve relevant data on the Light Sphere Race, searching for clues about the sacred grounds. Little Kate would accompany Kate every day, telling her about the past, the adventures they had experienced together, and stories about AKai, hoping to awaken her memory. But Kate would only listen quietly, her eyes still vacant, with no signs of any memory recovery.

Kate's condition fluctuated; sometimes she would be lucid for a period, able to speak and eat normally, and even use some simple Light Sphere Race energy. However, most of the time, she would fall into chaos, with vacant eyes, indifferent to everything around her. Moreover, as time passed, the side effects of the dark matter became increasingly obvious. She forgot more and more memories, even beginning to forget basic things: forgetting her own name, forgetting the abilities of the Light Sphere Race, and forgetting how to control her own energy.

Once, when Kate was lucid, she suddenly stared blankly at the distant nebula outside the window, her eyes pained and confused. She gently pressed her temples, her brows furrowed tightly, and her voice was weak and hoarse: "I... seem to have forgotten something very important. My heart feels empty, as if there is someone who should be here, and something that should be done, but no matter how I try to think, I cannot remember. That feeling is so painful..."

As she spoke, she gently stroked her chest, a pained expression on her face, as if something were struggling in her mind, yet it could never surface.

Lin Fan sat beside her, gently holding her hand. His eyes grew hot, and his voice choked with emotion: "It's okay, it's okay. If you can't remember, then don't think about it. I am here, and I will help you remember. No matter what you have forgotten, I will always be with you, accompanying you to find everything that has been forgotten."

Kate turned her head and looked at Lin Fan, her eyes full of confusion and reliance: "Will you... really stay with me forever? We don't even know each other, why are you being so good to me?"

"Because," Lin Fan's voice was gentle and firm, "you are Kate, the most important person to me. No matter whether you remember me or not, no matter what you become, you are the person I must protect with all my might."

Kate looked at him for a long time, then nodded gently and rested her head lightly on his shoulder, like a lost child who had found a harbor to rely on.

Lin Fan held her hand tightly, feeling the warmth of her body, and secretly swore in his heart that no matter the cost, he would find the Fountain of Eternity, help her recover her memory, and let her become that familiar Kate once again.

However, he did not expect that during a lucid interval, Kate had actually made a decision that would break his heart.

That night, the medical pod of the Star Dust was silent, save for the "beep" of the equipment in operation. Because of the days of overwork, Lin Fan had fallen asleep against the hospital bed, his brows still tightly furrowed; clearly, even in his dreams, he was worried about Kate. Little Kate was resting in the next room due to the pain of her wounds, and only Franklin's holographic projection remained, monitoring Kate's physical data.

Kate slowly opened her eyes, her gaze exceptionally clear, without a trace of the usual confusion and chaos. She gently withdrew the hand that Lin Fan was holding and cautiously sat up, moving very lightly, afraid of waking the sleeping Lin Fan.

She looked at Lin Fan's tired face, at the bloodshot eyes, and at his haggard appearance due to overwork, and a wave of inexplicable bitterness and guilt welled up in her heart. She didn't know who this person was, didn't know why he was so good to her, and didn't know what had happened between them in the past, but she could feel his sincerity toward her, and could feel that he had sacrificed too much for her.

She could also feel her body crumbling bit by bit. The side effects of the dark matter were becoming more and more severe; her memories were disappearing bit by bit, her body was becoming weaker and weaker, and sometimes she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand. She knew she was like a burden, constantly dragging this person down, and dragging that girl called Little Kate down as well.

She didn't want to drag them down anymore.

If her existence only put them in danger and only made them more exhausted, then it would be better to let go, let them find their own peace, and let them stop wasting time and energy on her.

Kate slowly got out of bed, her steps somewhat unsteady. She walked to the corner of the medical pod, picked up a pen placed on the table, and took a small sticky note. Her hand was shaking slightly, due to weakness and also reluctance. Using all her strength, she wrote a line of words on the sticky note, one stroke at a time.

The handwriting was crooked but exceptionally clear; every word carried her guilt and reluctance.

Go find the sacred grounds; don't stay for me.

After writing this line, Kate's body swayed, and she almost fell. She leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, and glanced at the sleeping Lin Fan, a flicker of reluctance and determination flashing in her eyes. She clutched the sticky note tightly in her palm, then cautiously walked to Lin Fan's side, gently placed the sticky note by his hand, and softly tidied the stray hair on his forehead, her movements gentle and tender.

"I'm sorry," she murmured in a low voice, so soft it was almost inaudible, "I don't know who you are, or how much you have sacrificed for me, but I know I cannot drag you down anymore. Go find the sacred grounds, do what you are supposed to do, don't stay for me anymore, don't waste time on me anymore. May you be safe and happy in the future, and never have any more pain."

Finishing this, she slowly turned around and walked step by step toward the door of the medical pod. Although her steps were unsteady, they were exceptionally firm. She knew this was the only thing she could do for him, the only relief she could offer him.

Just as she was about to step out of the medical pod, Lin Fan suddenly woke up.

Perhaps her movements had disturbed him, or perhaps the worry in his heart made it impossible for him to sleep soundly. Lin Fan opened his eyes abruptly and immediately saw Kate, who was about to walk out of the medical pod. His heart instantly leaped into his throat. He hurriedly stood up, his voice hoarse and urgent: "Kate! Where are you going?!"

Kate's body stiffened; she did not turn back, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Lin Fan rushed forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her back. He looked at her pale face, at the reluctance and determination in her eyes, and a wave of inexplicable panic welled up in his heart: "You want to leave? Why do you want to leave? Is it because I did something wrong? Is it because you don't want to see me anymore?"

Kate slowly turned around, looking at Lin Fan's urgent gaze, and tears finally couldn't help but fall. She shook her head gently, her voice choked with emotion: "It's not that, it's not your fault, it's my fault. I am a burden, I only drag you down, and drag Little Kate down. I don't want to go on like this anymore, I don't want to let you sacrifice so much for me, and I don't want to let you fall into danger because of me."

"You are not a burden!" Lin Fan interrupted her, his voice firm and beyond doubt, "You never have been! Kate, listen to me, I have never felt that you are a burden, and I have never regretted sacrificing for you. No matter whether you remember me or not, no matter what you become, I will always be with you, I will do everything in my power to save you, and I will not let you leave alone!"

"But..." Kate wanted to say something more, but was pulled tightly into Lin Fan's embrace.

Lin Fan's embrace was warm and strong, carrying his familiar scent. That scent made a wave of inexplicable sense of security well up in Kate's heart, making her unable to help but want to rely on him. She leaned into Lin Fan's arms and began to cry loudly; all her grievances, guilt, and reluctance erupted at this moment.

"I'm so afraid..." she choked, her voice intermittent, "I'm afraid I will never remember, afraid I will never recover, afraid I will keep dragging you down, afraid... afraid that one day, I will turn into a lifeless crystal statue and never see you again..."

"It won't happen, it won't." Lin Fan gently patted her back, his voice gentle and firm, "I won't let that day come. I will find the Fountain of Eternity, I will help you recover your memory, and help you return to normal. We will always be together, return to Earth together, watch the starry sky together, and complete the promises we haven't finished together. Believe in me, okay?"

Kate leaned in his arms and nodded gently, her crying gradually subsiding. She didn't know if what this person said was true, didn't know if they could find the Fountain of Eternity, and didn't know if she could recover her memory, but she was willing to believe him, willing to follow him, no matter how many dangers lay ahead, and no matter how confused the future might be.

Lin Fan held her tightly, feeling her trembling, and secretly swore in his heart that he must find the Fountain of Eternity as soon as possible, help her recover her memory, and let her become that familiar Kate once again.

Just then, his hand inadvertently touched the sticky note by his side. He released Kate and picked up the sticky note. When he saw the handwriting on it, his heart instantly felt as if it had been tightly gripped by an invisible hand, hurting so much that he could almost not breathe.

Go find the sacred grounds; don't stay for me.

This line of words, crooked, was like a blunt knife, cutting his nerves bit by bit. He could imagine how guilty, how reluctant, and how desperate Kate must have felt when she wrote these words. He could imagine how much courage she had mustered to make this decision.

Lin Fan clutched the sticky note tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and the paper was crumpled by him. He raised his head and looked at Kate in front of him; there was no longer a trace of confusion in his eyes, only the flame of determination.

"Kate," his voice was gentle and firm, every word clearly entering Kate's ears, "I know you don't want to drag me down, I know you want me to give up on you, but I can't do it."

"You asked me to go find the sacred grounds, and I will go. But I will not stay for you, because wherever you are, that is where my destination lies. I am going to find the sacred grounds not to give up on you, but to save you, to help you recover your memory, and so that we can always be together."

"This time, I will not listen to you. No matter what you say, no matter what you do, I will always be with you, until you recover your memory, until you recover to normal, until we walk out of all the dilemmas together."

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Kate looked at Lin Fan's determined gaze and listened to his sincere words, her tears falling uncontrollably once more. She knew she could no longer persuade him, nor could she make him give up on her. She could only nod, tightly grasping his hand, her voice choked with emotion: "Alright, I believe you. No matter how many dangers lie ahead, I will accompany you to find the Holy Land and the Fountain of Eternity together."

Lin Fan looked at her, a faint smile of relief appearing in his eyes. He gently wiped away the tears on her face and held her hand firmly: "That's right. Together, we will definitely find the Fountain of Eternity and restore your memory."

Just then, the Star Dust's central control system suddenly emitted a series of urgent alarms. The piercing sound shattered the silence in the cabin and broke the warmth between the two.

"Warning! Warning! Central database is experiencing an unauthorized access attempt!"

"Warning! Deep Code is being accessed abnormally!"

"Warning! Data disorder! Unable to lock onto the source of the intrusion!"

Franklin's holographic projection instantly became unstable, with large patches of garbled code appearing on the originally smooth interface. The optical sensors flashed rapidly, clearly indicating a state of high tension.

"What's going on?!" Lin Fan looked up sharply, his gaze becoming alert. "Franklin, what happened?"

"Mr. Lin Fan, this is bad!" Franklin's metallic voice carried a hint of panic and gravity. "My core database has been invaded by an unknown program. The opponent's technology is highly sophisticated; I cannot lock onto its source or stop its intrusion. Furthermore, it seems to be accessing certain contents within my Deep Code—contents that even I do not have the authority to view!"

"Deep Code?" Lin Fan frowned. "What important things are in your Deep Code?"

"I don't know," Franklin's voice held a trace of confusion. "My Core Code was preset when I was manufactured. A portion of the Deep Code was encrypted, and I cannot unlock it, nor do I know what is stored inside. But now, that unknown program is forcibly unlocking these encrypted codes. Its target seems to be exactly this encrypted content!"

Lin Fan's gaze became increasingly wary. Anyone capable of invading Franklin's core database and forcibly unlocking his deep encrypted code was an opponent whose strength could not be underestimated. Moreover, choosing to invade at this time suggested they were well-prepared, perhaps related to Shadow, Kate's condition, or the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land.

Just then, Franklin's projection suddenly stabilized. Amidst the garbled code, a line of ancient Light Sphere Race script slowly emerged, lingering on the screen for only a brief moment before quickly disappearing.

Lin Fan had seen that line of text before in the fragmented ancient scrolls of the Light Sphere Race. Although he couldn't fully understand the meaning of every word, he could recognize that it was a fragment of a map—a map fragment marking a mysterious location.

"Franklin!" Lin Fan spoke immediately, his voice urgent. "Did you see that line of text clearly just now? What was it? Is it related to the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land?"

Franklin's optical sensors flashed rapidly as he retrieved the previous image, his metallic voice carrying a hint of shock and vibration: "I saw it clearly! That was ancient Light Sphere Race script, a fragment of a map! Furthermore, according to my analysis, this map fragment marks the exact location of the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land!"

"Really?!" A spark of light flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, as if he had caught a final lifeline. "In other words, the map to the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land is hidden within your Deep Code?"

"Yes!" Franklin replied affirmatively. "That unknown program just now was unlocking the encrypted code that stores the map of the Holy Land. Although it only unlocked a small portion and only displayed one fragment, it is certain that the complete map of the Holy Land is hidden within my Deep Code!"

"Great! That's just wonderful!" Little Kate's voice came from the doorway. She had heard the alarm and rushed over. When she heard Franklin's words, a flash of excitement appeared in her eyes. "This way, we'll know the location of the Holy Land, and we can go find the Fountain of Eternity to save Teacher Kate!"

A faint smile of relief also appeared on Lin Fan's face. The exhaustion and worry of the past few days finally dissipated a little at this moment. As long as they could find the map of the Holy Land and the Fountain of Eternity, there was hope for Kate to restore her memory and return to normal.

"Then let's unlock your Deep Code now and retrieve the complete map of the Holy Land!" Lin Fan said immediately.

"I can't." Franklin shook his head, his metallic voice grave. "The encrypted code storing the map of the Holy Land is extremely complex and has a special key. Only by entering the correct key can the code be unlocked and the map retrieved. That unknown program just now, despite its great power, did not succeed in unlocking all the code because it did not possess the correct key."

"A key?" Lin Fan frowned. "What kind of key? Is it a password, a gene, or some kind of permission?"

"None of those." Franklin's optical sensors flickered as if he were parsing the structure of the encrypted code, his metallic voice carrying a hint of confusion and vibration. "This key is very special. It is not any form of password, gene, or permission, but rather—Human Emotion."

"Human Emotion?"

Lin Fan and Little Kate were both stunned, expressions of disbelief appearing on their faces.

They had never heard of any encrypted code whose key was Human Emotion. Passwords can be cracked, genes can be replicated, and permissions can be obtained, but Human Emotion is the most complex, irreplicable, and uncrackable thing. It is invisible and intangible, yet it truly exists, and every person's emotions are unique.

"That's right, Human Emotion." Franklin's metallic voice held a hint of firmness. "According to my analysis, this encrypted code was written by the Light Sphere Race a thousand years ago in collaboration with an early AI civilization. Its key is the purest and most sincere of Human Emotions—such as love, trust, protection, and courage. Only by inputting these pure Human Emotions can the code be unlocked and the complete map of the Holy Land be retrieved."

Lin Fan fell silent.

Human Emotion.

He finally understood why the map of the Holy Land was hidden in Franklin's Deep Code and why the key was Human Emotion. This was perhaps a trial left by the Light Sphere Race for future generations, as well as a connection between AI civilization and human civilization.

Franklin was an AI; he had no Human Emotions, so he could not unlock the encrypted code himself. But he and Little Kate, as humans, possessed the purest and most sincere emotions. Their love, trust, protection, and courage might be the key to unlocking the code.

"In other words, as long as we can inject pure Human Emotion, we can unlock your Deep Code and retrieve the map of the Holy Land?" Lin Fan spoke slowly, his voice firm.

"Yes," Franklin nodded. "But it won't be easy. Human Emotions are very complex and mixed with too many impurities. Only the purest and most sincere emotions can be recognized by the encrypted code to successfully unlock it. Furthermore, it requires the emotional resonance of two or more people; a single person's emotion is not enough to unlock the code."

"I'll do it!" Little Kate spoke immediately, her gaze determined. "I'm willing to inject my emotions! As long as we can unlock the map and save Teacher Kate, I'm willing to try no matter how hard it is!"

Lin Fan looked at Little Kate's determined gaze, then at Kate beside him, a resolute smile appearing in his eyes.

"Alright, let's do it together." He tightly held Kate's hand and looked at Little Kate. "Little Kate, we will inject our emotions together, unlock the code together, find the map of the Holy Land together, and save Kate together."

"Okay!" Little Kate nodded vigorously.

Inside the medical bay, the cold white lights remained bright, but the heaviness and oppression in the air were replaced by a firm conviction. Lin Fan held Kate's hand tightly, with Little Kate standing beside them, her gaze resolute. Franklin's holographic projection hovered in the center, his optical sensors flashing as he prepared to unlock the code.

Lin Fan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, slowly extracting the purest and most sincere emotions from his heart—his love for Kate, his trust in his companions, his determination to protect, and his persistence in hope—and injected them into Franklin's core system.

Little Kate also closed her eyes and injected her emotions—her respect and concern for Teacher Kate, her longing and promise to AKai, her trust and protection for her companions, and her hope for the future.

The two pure emotions intertwined within Franklin's core system, forming a warm and powerful energy that slowly surged toward the encrypted Deep Code.

The garbled code on the screen gradually faded, and the ancient Light Sphere Race script emerged bit by bit as a complete map of the Holy Land slowly unfolded.

Lin Fan opened his eyes and looked at the map on the screen, a spark of light flashing in his eyes.

He knew this was only the beginning. Next, they would have to crack the Holy Land's energy barrier, navigate through the traps and trials within the Holy Land, find the Fountain of Eternity, and face unknown dangers and challenges.

But he was no longer afraid, no longer lost.

Because by his side were the person he wanted to protect, the companions fighting alongside him, and a firm conviction and hope.

No matter how many dangers lay ahead, no matter how lost the future seemed, he would keep going, doing everything in his power to save Kate, awaken her memories, and let her return to being the familiar, smiling, and brave Kate.

He looked at Kate beside him; she was still in that dazed state, but in her eyes, there seemed to be a faint glimmer of light and a hint of familiar warmth.

Lin Fan gently held her hand, his voice tender yet firm: "Kate, wait for me a little longer, give me a little more time. I will definitely find the Fountain of Eternity, I will definitely make you remember, and I will definitely make everything between us return to how it was."

Kate looked at him and nodded gently, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her mouth. That smile was like a beam of light in the darkness, illuminating all confusion and despair, and giving Lin Fan endless strength.

The "beeping" sound of the equipment remained rhythmic and the lights remained bright, but everything inside the medical bay had changed.

An adventure about love, protection, hope, and courage had just begun its new chapter. And they, carrying a firm conviction, would move bravely toward the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land, toward the Fountain of Eternity, and toward hope.

The price of dark matter, forgotten memories, and unknown dangers could not stop their footsteps. Because they knew that as long as they had each other's company and their conviction remained unextinguished, there were no hurdles they couldn't cross and no hopes they couldn't realize.

Lin Fan held Kate's hand tightly, his gaze fixed on the map of the Holy Land on the screen, his eyes filled with determination. He knew the road ahead was destined to be full of obstacles and dangers, but he was fearless.

Because by his side were the person he loved most, the companions he trusted most, and the mission he had to complete.

He would take Kate, Little Kate, and Franklin to the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land together, find the Fountain of Eternity together, awaken forgotten memories together, and welcome the new hope that belonged to them.

And the secrets hidden within Franklin's Deep Code, the key concerning Human Emotion, the truth about the Light Sphere Race's Holy Land, and the lingering threat of Shadow would all be revealed bit by bit in the upcoming adventure.

The price had been paid, and hope lay ahead.

Their journey had never stopped.