Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Strengthening
Over the following days, through Sandora’s careful analysis and Dingdang’s comprehensive checks, we finally understood the situation with Qianqian and her sister.
The crystal radiation from the Xyrin Nest truly had awakened the latent human potential in Qianqian and her sister, endowing them with formidable superpowers, but due to their extremely poor physical condition at the time of exposure, the radiation still had certain negative effects, the most obvious being the dramatic changes in their personalities when utilizing their superpowers.
When her sister’s superpowers were activated, she would become very vindictive and scheming—although she wasn’t malicious in such a state.
When Qianqian’s superpowers were activated, she would become quite indifferent and even cold-hearted, although she still remembered the people related to her and seemed to retain her feelings for those around her; however, the way she conducted herself underwent drastic changes.
Although this transformation made me feel somewhat uneasy, thankfully, their core nature did not change, and after the superpowers were deactivated, they would quickly return to normal.
In the living room of the villa, Sandora and I were discussing the principles behind this radiation-caused mutation and its potential uses. By my side, her sister was quietly apologizing to Lin Xue with a red face, having completely remembered how she had tormented Lin Xue, who still looked overwhelmed, muttering words like “seven and a half weeks…” Dingdang gently hovered beside Lin Xue’s head, patting it with a small hand and consolingly speaking like a little adult, “And twenty meters per second, too…”
…Was that really meant to be consoling?
Qianqian, now fully back to normal, had an expression even more embarrassed than her sister’s. Her personality shift had indeed been drastic—practically every person who tried to talk to her in the house had been unceremoniously kicked out. Asidora and Asidora had even tried to use space transmission to enter her room, only to be hit by Qianqian’s time disruption strike, and now they were wandering around the base asking everyone for the time…
While devouring the pastries on the table quickly, Sandora spoke vaguely with her mouth full, “It seems the life forms of carbon-based life are truly wondrous indeed, mutating for such inexplicable reasons… Hmm, Chen Jun, I want that one!”
I placed a plate of small cakes in front of Sandora while inwardly snickering: Only you would think that mutation caused by radiation is something inexplicable, right? Almost half of Earthlings know that any radiation can potentially induce cell mutation…
All the while, Pandora, who had been quietly staying in my arms, suddenly nodded and said, “Mutating due to radiation is indeed something quite strange…”
I suddenly realized, with a tinge of sadness, that in such a massive base, there were only a few people who recognized the special physiological characteristics of carbon-based life…
Also, why was Pandora in my arms?
“Because I accidentally bumped into Brother, as compensation, I should let Brother hold me for a while—Sandora… Sister said it would make Brother happy.”
That was how Pandora explained it, leaving me wondering who was really compensating whom…
Moreover, I seriously needed to investigate what kind of ridiculous things Sandora was teaching this little one every day!
“Let’s not discuss that for now—I want to know if the investigation into the principle behind Qianqian and her sister’s radiation-induced changes has been found out.”
Sandora revealed a brilliant smile, as if bringing up achievements, and pulled out a hefty tome from behind her, shaking it before my eyes and saying, “Actually, Bubbles has completed the analysis of their bodily mutations and has summarized a rather thorough report. I’ve had her print it out!”
I looked at the tome in Sandora’s hand that could be used as a brick, with a shaky voice, “That much?”
“Of course not that much!”
Sandora joyfully placed the tome—which could be used as a weapon—in my hands and just as I breathed a sigh of relief, she uttered even more terrifying words, “This is just the !”
How complete is this report?
I shivered as I opened the hefty tome, wordlessly scanning the densely packed titles that spanned from the origins of carbon-based life to quantum interference theory. Then I made the wisest decision: I raised my hand and threw it away.
“There are just too few examples to analyze.”
Lin Xue, finally recovering from seven and a half weeks of impact, suddenly spoke up.
“We now know that my superpowers are significantly enhanced under radiation, and Qianqian and Sister Chen Qian have gained new abilities. Beyond that, we simply don’t have more instances to analyze.”
Lin Xue had a good point. In fact, Sandora and I had both thought of it, but where do we find more cases now?
Other than Lin Xue, Qianqian, and Sister, the only Earthlings here were me. However, my spiritual energy had already reached a terrifying intensity. No amount of crystal radiation could affect me. Luring Muller and his two companions over was another option, but their resistance to radiation energy must be very high as well, and, not to mention whether they will be affected or not, whether I can successfully fool a few old monsters who have lived for hundreds of years is another question.
“Maybe…” Sandora tapped her lips with her index finger, “we could lure over some hot-blooded members of the Fire Blade Mercenary Corps?”
If it wasn’t for Sandora’s reminder, I would have almost forgotten about their existence!
That mercenary corps, saved by Pandora, was still stationed in the valley, right next to our base, but we never let those fervent Pandora worshippers inside the base. Since they witnessed the fortress being built like a miracle and the terrifying power of the Xyrin Army, they had become much more subdued, at least not relentlessly insisting on following Pandora—resulting in me almost forgetting about this small mercenary group.
Reck felt tremendous pressure, very tremendous.
Recently, the situation of the mercenary corps had deteriorated further, with even the smallest employers unwilling to spend their money on this nearly disbanded group that was less powerful than a squad of regular soldiers. Being pushed into this godforsaken valley by competitors had become a joke in the Mercenary World. Just yesterday, the group’s only mage, Catherine, had also expressed a desire to go home. Although Reck knew he couldn’t blame her, he still felt very depressed.
Now, he had made up his mind to announce the disbandment of the mercenary group tonight.
So when his subordinate came in to report that a warrior from the mysterious fortress had come to visit, he almost reflexively replied, “Let him go back, we’re not accepting commissions anymore.”
What he didn’t say was that with the mercenary group’s current strength, even if they took on a commission, they were almost certain to fail.
But in the next second, Reck suddenly realized: the fortress!
In that bizarre fortress built overnight next to their station, there were countless mysterious and powerful individuals. No one knew how they appeared out of thin air, but everyone in the mercenary group knew they were incredibly strong, exceedingly strong!
Demonized creatures that could instantly destroy a small, careless human town were turned to ashes without a chance to retaliate in front of that little girl named Pandora!
At first, Reck tried to get the powerful little girl to accept his mercenary group as her followers. Although this included a sense of gratitude, more so, he wanted to give his brothers a bright future. But after he witnessed more of the other side’s powerful allies and the mysteriously built fortress, he completely dismissed the fanciful idea.
From the fighting techniques and architectural style utterly different from this world, Reck could vaguely guess that the others were not strong individuals from this world, but more likely a very powerful alien race not belonging to humanity.
An unknown alien race was enough to make most people keep their distance, but if they came to him… Reck would never give up even the slightest, most tenuous hope!