Chapter 134: The “Lingxi Laboratory” Incident, The Little Doctor and Her Father
“Two years ago…”
Luo Xue flipped through the file, which contained some information about Night Owl, but not much.
After all, Night Owl was an assassin of Suspended High Tower 132. Even as a wanted criminal, most of his information wouldn’t be publicly available.
But from the information, she could tell that he hadn’t fled when he received the mission to kill her.
Luo Xue also finally knew how much time had passed since her last death.
“Two years…”
Luo Xue closed the file, handed it back to Ceres, and asked,
“Miss Ceres, is there a way to reach Suspended High Tower 132, as soon as possible?”
“In such a hurry?” Ceres seemed surprised, discreetly putting away the recruitment form for Luo Xue. “It’s difficult to go to Suspended High Tower 132 through the High Tower routes. Suspended High Tower 103 needs to be docked for at least five months for maintenance. Once it departs, it will travel continuously for thirty years.”
“Isn’t there any other way?” Luo Xue pondered for a moment, then asked, “For example… going to Suspended High Tower 132 directly through the wasteland?”
“It would be difficult with just your strength. Even if you could travel through the wasteland, you wouldn’t be able to reach the Suspended High Tower.” Ceres shook her head and said faintly,
“The Suspended High Towers don’t land during their travels. They maintain an altitude of about five thousand meters—Can you reach that height?”
Only at that altitude could the Suspended High Towers avoid the various natural disasters on the surface, and they could even absorb energy from these disasters to power the towers and sustain the lives of the Tower People.
The reason the Suspended High Towers were always in motion was to gather energy from different locations and prevent their engines from shutting down.
The Suspended High Towers weren’t perpetual motion machines. Their engine technology came from the glorious previous civilization, capable of exploring deep space.
Unfortunately, the current human civilization could only build a little over three hundred tower engines, and no more, so there were only a little over three hundred Suspended High Towers, unable to accommodate more Tower People.
For this land, plagued by frequent natural disasters, the energy absorbed by the three hundred plus tower engines was less than a thousandth of the total energy released by the disasters.
“…”
Luo Xue was silent for a moment, rubbed her temples, and sighed.
“I… can’t do that yet.”
Although she was at Foundation Establishment, she didn’t know many divine abilities, and she didn’t know the Peerless Summit Sect’s signature sword-riding technique either.
Besides, ordinary sword-riding techniques could only reach a few hundred meters. Flying five kilometers on a sword would probably require a Nascent Soul cultivator.
“Actually, there is another way.”
Ceres smiled faintly, took out a business card, and placed it on Luo Xue’s table. “Join the Federal Investigation Bureau, and you’ll have the authority to carry out special federal missions, allowing you to travel freely between the Suspended High Towers.”
“Without docking… how?”
Luo Xue hesitantly took the business card, which had Ceres’s name and title on it, the blonde woman’s smile warm and gentle.
“Aircrafts, equipped with small tower engines. However, they don’t have the function of directly converting natural disasters into energy like the real tower engines, they can only store the converted energy.”
Ceres explained like a salesperson, then took out a brick-like device with a pixelated image of an aircraft on it.
“The aircraft can fly at an altitude of five thousand meters, but the pilot needs to be physically fit, as the protection on manned aircraft isn’t very good.”
“A phone?”
Luo Xue looked at the device in Ceres’ hand curiously. She hadn’t expected it to be even larger than the brick phones of her previous life.
“What do you mean by ‘phone’? Are you referring to this?”
Ceres patted the “brick” and said, “This is a miniaturized digital terminal. Heh… impressive, isn’t it? Only our Suspended High Tower 103 can manufacture it. It hasn’t entered mass production yet.”
“Impressive, impressive…”
Luo Xue continued to flatter her perfunctorily.
She had already seen the mosaic television in the docking facility. A brick phone wasn’t that surprising.
It had to be said that the post-apocalyptic world hadn’t developed any technology related to everyday life or entertainment. Their technology focused almost entirely on energy and materials, far surpassing her previous life in these aspects.
Oh, and also biology, after all, ability users were unique to this world.
“So, what do you think?” Ceres blinked, a playful glint in her eyes. “Normally, I should invite you to join Suspended High Tower 103 first, but you don’t seem interested, and asking would probably be a waste of time.”
As soon as she got the file, Luo Xue had asked about ways to reach Suspended High Tower 132, showing no intention of staying. Ceres wasn’t so clueless as to not understand.
“Indeed, if you can help me get to 132, I can join the Federal Investigation Bureau.”
Luo Xue nodded. “But let me tell you… I only have physical strength, and perhaps some instinctive perception… I don’t have any special abilities.”
Luo Xue knew that these ability users far surpassed cultivators of the same level in certain aspects, possessing many incredible abilities, even wielding the power of laws at low levels.
Although their usage was crude, it was still enough to crush many cultivators of the same level.
“A pure combatant? Oh… the Federal Investigation Bureau doesn’t lack ability users of that type, but don’t worry, I’ll try to negotiate a good price… a good salary for you.” Ceres coughed awkwardly.
“…I’m still a minor. Employing minors is illegal!” Luo Xue twitched her lips.
“A minor? My goodness, you’re not even twelve yet?” Ceres exclaimed. “If you’re not twelve, you’re considered child labor! The federal law states that we can’t…”
“Wait, in that case, I… I’m already an adult.” Luo Xue quickly corrected herself. “I’m twelve this year… or thirteen.”
She hadn’t expected adulthood here to be twelve, not eighteen…
It made sense. The post-apocalyptic world had a small population and a shortage of labor. Naturally, they would lower the age of adulthood.
“Phew, that scared me. Not being twelve would be troublesome. Suspended High Tower 132 was just punished by the Federation for employing a nine-year-old ability user.”
Ceres patted her chest, then curiously pinched Luo Xue’s arm.
“But I didn’t expect, Miss Guijiao, that you, looking so delicate and small, would be a strength-type ability user. In my impression, ability users of this type are all muscular…”
After confirming that Luo Xue intended to join the Federal Investigation Bureau, Ceres’s tone became more relaxed, a hint of friendliness replacing her earlier formality.
“Like a body cultivator… oh, no, not all body cultivators are like that.”
Luo Xue scratched her cheek, thinking of Nangong Mengxiang. Although she was a top-tier body cultivator, her figure was still slender and graceful, without much muscle, exactly the kind of figure Luo Xue dreamed of having when she grew up.
However… judging by Luo Xue’s current development, it seemed unlikely.
“Hmm? Body cultivator… what do you mean?” Ceres was puzzled by Luo Xue’s muttering, but quickly dismissed it. “By the way, since you’re interested in Suspended High Tower 132, I happen to know a bit about it, so I’ll tell you.”
“I’m all ears.”
Luo Xue’s expression turned serious.
Since the assassin was from Suspended High Tower 132, the order to kill her must have also come from within the tower.
Ceres’s information would be very helpful for Luo Xue to find Ling Ling.
“The infamous ‘Lingxi Potion’ originated from the laboratory in Suspended High Tower 132. It was an accidental byproduct of a research project proposed and implemented by Dr. Lingxi, and after many experiments, a stable version was developed, leading to mass production.”
“Suspended High Tower 132 monopolized the production of the ‘Lingxi Potion.’ All Tower People within the Federation, and even some Wastelanders, wanted to obtain the Lingxi Potion, awaken their abilities, and embark on a different life.”
“For the Federation, the mass production of ability users was also a welcome development. Many facilities within the High Towers are powered by ability users. Without the corresponding ability users, they are just useless devices… After all, a large part of the previous civilization’s technology has been lost, and we can only use such clumsy methods to compensate.”
“However… not long after, something went wrong with the Lingxi Potion.”
“The ‘Lingxi Laboratory’ incident. Three months after the Lingxi Potion entered mass production, the first batch of mutated ability users appeared. Then, all ability users who awakened using the Lingxi Potion, without exception, died from berserk states and mutations. There were no survivors.”
Ceres retrieved information about Lingxi from her digital terminal and showed it to Luo Xue.
It was a photo of a middle-aged man with a stern expression, looking more like a government official than a researcher.
“Dr. Lingxi committed suicide and completely burned down his laboratory, including all his data and test subjects. The further development of the Lingxi Potion was stopped, and only the flawed versions are circulating on the market.” Ceres sighed and continued,
“It’s said that Dr. Lingxi had already developed a stable version and, to prove its feasibility, injected it into his newborn daughter. Unfortunately, this is just a rumor. No one has ever seen the legendary daughter of Lingxi.”
After Ceres finished the story, Luo Xue also sighed deeply.
Like cultivators, ability users also required a certain aptitude. Without it, trying to obtain abilities through other means came at a heavy price.
At least the Lingxi Potion could give ordinary people temporary abilities, while for ordinary people to cultivate immortality… it was almost impossible.
Even if they practiced martial arts their entire lives, they could only reach the Innate Realm, equivalent to a Level 2 or 3 ability user, and it would take decades of hard work to achieve that.
“Stories that end in tragedy are always memorable.” Luo Xue said softly. “When can we depart for Suspended High Tower 132?”
“Don’t be so hasty, let me find a mission first,” Ceres smiled faintly and started searching on her digital terminal. “Let me see… oh, Suspended High Tower 132 has actually rebuilt the laboratory? And they’re recruiting ability users.”
“Should I apply?” Luo Xue blinked.
“How could you? You’re a member of the Federal Investigation Bureau now, how can you work elsewhere? The Federal Investigation Bureau doesn’t allow part-time jobs.”
Ceres said, tapping on her digital terminal without looking up.
“However, Suspended High Tower 132’s plan to restart the laboratory project is a violation. The Federal Investigation Bureau needs to investigate—it’s just a formality, those old foxes must have already prepared for the investigation.”
Ceres had no doubt that Luo Xue could join the Federal Investigation Bureau.
Who would refuse a twelve-year-old genius ability user?
Although she was a common strength-type, a high-level one was still very useful. At least, firearms had little effect on ability users above Level 5.
“What are you doing?”
Luo Xue leaned closer to look.
“Applying for this mission to the Federal Investigation Bureau headquarters. I’ll take you there.” Ceres quickly entered all the information and looked up with a smile. “Miss Guijiao, you don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course…”
Luo Xue nodded.
Ceres seemed like a knowledgeable older sister, the type who could chat with you casually while taking care of everything.
“Don’t be so formal, it’s just a minor mission. The higher-ups don’t care much about it. Just consider it a trip.”
Ceres squatted down slightly and pinched Luo Xue’s cheek.
“Don’t always have such a serious face. You’re so young, yet you seem older than me.”
Luo Xue forced a smile, but she was worried, and her smile looked a bit strained.
“After I’ve finished processing your paperwork, we’ll go to Suspended High Tower 132 to carry out the mission.”
“Okay, then… I’ll have to trouble Miss Ceres.”
…
“Little Doctor, how’s the progress?”
The man in the wheelchair asked kindly.
“The third type of potion… 80% complete…”
A young girl in an oversized lab coat lowered her head and said softly.
“Don’t be so formal. It’s been over two years.” The man chuckled, looking at the research report on the potion and nodding approvingly. “Not bad, Little Doctor, you’re almost as good as your father.”
“It seems… heh, the things he left you are indeed quite useful.”
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