Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Wake up.

When she woke up, Tao Ying smelled the hospital's disinfectant.

Her health was so poor that even breathing was a burden for her.

She took off her respirator and sat up, which took almost all her strength.

Feeling a little hungry, her hand naturally rested on her stomach. She looked down and saw she had been dressed in a hospital gown. The backs of her hands and arms were covered in patches, as were her chest and abdomen.

The instrument beside me was flashing all kinds of incomprehensible data and making regular beeping sounds intermittently, but... fortunately, there was no straight line on the electrocardiogram.

When she fainted, she almost thought she was going to die again.

Only when she woke up did she remember that she had a problem of fainting when she was afraid of blood.

So, she didn't faint because her mental strength reached its limit, but because she fainted from blood poisoning...

Tao Ying blinked.

If she drives the mecha again, she’ll be a dog!

The bed felt a little strange, and the quilt was unusually light. Tao Ying gently lifted the water cup on the bedside table. The gravity coefficient was obviously lower than the standard for a habitable planet. It seemed that this might be a temporary medical station in the universe.

The pirates wouldn't be so kind as to send her to the medical station. So, the entire starship should be safe now.

The door of the ward was pushed open and the doctor walked in, followed by two people.

A middle-aged man in his fifties, and a tall, muscular young man—with a bruise on his chin and a bandage on his left hand.

They were the researcher and pilot from Bai’s Industry, Lao Liang and Cheng Yan.

Following closely behind them, three more students came in. They were Hurley and the others.

After that, there were two researchers from the Laiji Institute.

Eight people suddenly crowded into the ward, and the air became thin.

Hu Li quickly squeezed into the innermost part of the crowd and felt Tao Ying up and down. It seemed that there were no external injuries. Several children chattered:

"Are you okay? We heard you passed out after vomiting blood?"

"Yeah, aren't you fainting from blood?"

Researcher Che was shocked: "What? Fainting at the sight of blood? Isn't that a genetic disease from eight hundred years ago?!"

"To be precise, it was 1,300 years ago..."

"Imaginary numbers, do you understand imaginary numbers?"

The doctor walked to the bed with documents in his hand, looked Tao Ying up and down, and exclaimed in admiration a few times.

"How dare you get in the driver's seat? I don't know how you survived. Why don't you just die and come to me for treatment?"

Tao Ying smiled and said, "Actually, I'm already dead. What you see now is a space ghost."

The doctor sneered. "Are you really not afraid of death? You're still in the mood to joke." She raised her eyebrows, pulled out the click pen from her chest, and wrote on the report.

"If you come any later, you'll really become a space ghost."

Tao Ying coughed twice and sat up straight.

"What's the general condition of my body?"

"Your mental strength is extremely exhausted. Fortunately, the mech you're piloting seems to have protective measures, so no permanent damage has been caused. However, it will take a long time to recover to your original level."

A person's mental strength is like a rubber band. Although it can be restored by resting after a short period of heavy use, if it is overused, the rubber band will be broken.

Fortunately, in order to protect Tao Ying's mental power, Hengwo disconnected the connection in advance, so no permanent damage was caused.

Thank you, Hengwo.

Tao Ying silently gave a thumbs up to the group of mental tentacles.

"As for your physical condition..." the doctor sighed.

"It's already Star Calendar 1224. How come you still have such a bizarre physical condition? I'm thinking of writing a paper on you. Malnutrition aside, you have a deficient immune system, are not used to the change in gravity, and you're fainting at the sight of blood—and that's only to the extent our instruments can detect. The numbers I listed are just the lower limit of your genetic disease, not the upper limit. What's your situation? Have you been exposed to space radiation for a long time? Or were you left behind when humans were developing genetic diseases?"

"Oh...oh." He Li and the others were stunned.

The onlookers whispered to each other, "I heard that doctors at space medical stations are generally bad-tempered. They usually either have no one to communicate with, or they have to communicate with some mercenaries who can't speak human language."

"But she's still quite professional. Look at the long list of illnesses she listed."

The doctor gritted his teeth: "I heard it."

He turned around and continued to ask about Tao Ying's medical history.

Tao Ying nodded, as if she was talking about someone else.

"Well, probably a mild case of cosmic radiation syndrome, after all, I've been staying in remote galaxies."

Cosmic radiation syndrome refers to long-term exposure to space radiation, which will cause patients to develop a series of genetic disease symptoms. Most of the symptoms just mentioned by the doctor, such as the immune system and gravity intolerance, are among those genetic disease symptoms.

This bionic man was originally intended to be transported to a remote galaxy for destruction. It is possible that he encountered excessive radiation during transportation and mutated.

The doctor flipped through the data and spoke seriously.

"That's pretty much what I thought. Luckily, your condition isn't serious. I heard you're attending school in Leimen? The school offers special subsidies for genetic diseases. In your case, the subsidy you applied for is enough for genetic surgery. While the surgery won't completely improve your condition, it will restore it to the level of an average person. As long as you don't do any strenuous labor, you should be able to lead a normal life."

"It's just that your body is really not suitable for driving a mecha. You must be careful in the future."

"Ah?" Cheng Yan couldn't help but let out a low cry.

Can't pilot a mecha anymore? What a shame!

He just realized that this was the first time for the "Unlocker" to fly a perceptual mecha, and that he could fly it so well on the first try was beyond his imagination.

This student was very talented in piloting. Even if he was a second-level pilot, he might not be able to hold his own against three vicious pirates.

Now they say that this student is unable to drive due to poor health... This is such a pity.

Everyone present was either surprised, felt sorry, or asked the doctor if there were any other solutions. Tao Ying did not react much to this.

The feeling of driving a perceptual mecha is indeed wonderful...but she has never had any interest in driving mechas.

Tao Ying's heart was beating fast, perhaps her body had not yet fully recovered. She suppressed the subtle voice in her heart and replied:

"Of course, this was a special case. I'm not interested in driving a mecha. I probably won't have the opportunity to drive one in the future."

"That's good." The doctor patted the folder twice, explained the precautions for the next two days, and then left.

Tao Ying expressed her gratitude to Lao Liang and Cheng Yan for bringing her to the medical station.

Lao Liang hesitated and said, "Actually, Miss Bai wants to say a few words to you..."

"Bai Mo?"

Tao Ying just wanted to talk to her about Hengwo, and it was a coincidence that they met at this moment.

She nodded generously.

"It just so happens that I have something to ask her."

She answered Cheng Yan's communicator and saw that the two employees of Bai's company seemed to be staring at Researcher Che and Dalong, as if they were hesitant to speak.

Tao Ying reacted and explained, "They are researchers from the Laiji Institute. I think Miss Bai should know them too. Don't worry."

It was still late at night in Leimen City.

Bai Mo was sitting in front of the window, obviously staying awake all the time.

She said something, which roughly meant that she hoped Tao Ying could continue to drive Hengwo.

Baishi Industries can provide her with funds.

Tao Ying decisively refused.

"According to regulations, Hengwo will not be destroyed within ten years. It is your job to find a suitable pilot for it. I have other important things to do."

"What's up?"

"Report to the university."

“…”

There was an awkward silence in the ward for a moment.

Yes. She didn't speak like a student, and for a moment she had forgotten that the reason she boarded this starship was to go to university in Lehman City!

Cheng Yan was still in shock. He held onto the edge of the bed in shock and said in disbelief, "You, you're a college student?"

Lao Liang even asked: "Isn't he a middle school student?"

"Isn't it scarier that a middle school student is the unlocker?"

Hurley said proudly, "She is a top student at Lemen University."

Cheng Yan walked around the bed and asked, "Looking at her figure, she looks like she's only in her teens."

"It's just malnutrition."

Researcher Che patted the junior student's shoulder kindly.

No wonder everyone was surprised, her figure was indeed quite malnourished.

Let’s go to Lemon Tree to make up for it.

While Tao Ying was receiving treatment, the original starship had already departed. They were now all at the space medical station, waiting for transport.

After the meeting, everyone discussed the time. One group of people were going to school, and the other group was going to find Bai Mo to report the incident.

But in short, the destination is the city of Leimen.

"Why don't we just charter a small ship and go to Leimen City together?" Researcher Che suggested.

"I second the motion." "No objection." "It's Bai's Industry that's paying for it anyway."

After happily booking the small ship, everyone started packing their luggage.

Tao Ying was pushed out of the ward by Researcher Che. She was rummaging through her luggage and asked casually.

"By the way, what did you originally plan to do when you went to Laimen City?"

Tao Ying swore that she was just asking casually and didn't really want to know the answer.

Three seconds later, Researcher Che seemed to realize that he had forgotten something and shouted with his head in his hands.

"Ahhhh!!! The thief who stole the boss's ashes!"

Tao Ying: “?”

Bai Mo on the virtual screen also paused: "Boss? Are you talking about Researcher Tao Ying?"

Lao Liang and Cheng Yan said in unison: "A thief of ashes?"

"That's right, the pervert who stole our boss's ashes!"

Tao Ying: "Ah?"

Speaking of which, what happened to her body? Her family members were gone, so who took her body?

The news wasn't clear, but I remember it was placed in Iowa's house?

"Who took Tao Ying's body?"

At the mention of this, Researcher Che became excited: "You don't know? Yuris Iowa, our boss's lousy fiancé. Ugh, sorry, I don't like him very much."

"Anyway, this incident made the headlines on Star Network, giving him a huge space."

Researcher Che was obviously very sincere and spoke with great enthusiasm.

"They said Yuris was a man of integrity, that our boss had a bad reputation, and that Yuris had a huge argument with his grandfather over burying the boss in the Iowa family cemetery, and knelt in the rain for two days and two nights!"

"No, it's a different era now. Are all the people in their family histrionic? Who cares about their dilapidated ancestral tomb? And if our eldest daughter has a bad reputation, it's because someone is throwing mud at her."

"There are plenty of people who want our boss's body, but they're still complaining about it!"

Everyone: “…”

"Che, what you said is a bit..." Weird.

Dalong kept wiping his sweat.

"That's not the point!"

Researcher Che was furious when he spoke of this, clenching his fists. "We went to Laimen originally to catch the urn thief, but who knew a group of space pirates would show up along the way and throw us into such a mess."

"But the moment I saw Hengwo, I understood. This journey must be the boss's spirit in heaven reminding us of something, like we must save Hengwo here..."

No, your boss's earthly spirit never expected to meet you here.

Tao Ying exhaled, his face stiff.

Forget it, Researcher Che has been acting recklessly for a long time, and the next head of Bai's Industry will definitely not follow suit.

Tao Ying looked down at the tablet and fell silent.

Bai Mo actually looked up the headline news from that year and said seriously, "I will help you keep an eye on the whereabouts of Tao Ying's ashes."

Tao Ying's mouth twitched twice, and she looked embarrassed: "No need, I don't think she cares much about this matter..."

"How do you know?"

"Of course I know because I have a complicated relationship with her."

After seeing Researcher Che's mouth open so wide that an egg could fit in, Tao Ying chuckled.

"I mean, I'm a student sponsored by Tao Ying."

·

"So what you mean is that you have seen Hengwo's information before?" Bai Mo on the other side of the virtual screen folded his hands and said with a serious expression.

"Yes, after Tao Ying died, I used some methods to find out that she had a hidden residence in the third galaxy. The server there stored some of Hengwo's data, probably her backup."

After sending away the irrelevant people, Tao Ying explained.

She was born in the third galaxy and does have a residence there, which she visits occasionally.

However, it is pure nonsense that Tao Ying kept my information in such an unsafe place.

As for why Tao Ying made up such a story——

She needed a reason, a reason why she was so familiar with Tao Ying herself and Hengwo.

There will always be mistakes when trying to cover up things, so it is better to tell a lie sincerely.

The best lie is half true and half false.

"So that's how it is. I heard that when Tao Ying was at the Laiji Institute, she sponsored many students in the name of her family."

"But how did you find her backup system and how did you get into it? With her stealth skills, it's unlikely she'd be discovered."

"This involves personal privacy, so it is inconvenient to disclose it."

Tao Ying smiled.

Bai Mo looked at the person on the other end of the screen, was silent for a moment, and didn't ask any more questions.

The unlocker had hacked into the control system on the starship, so it was probably self-evident how she found Tao Ying's backup server.

Some technical means in the gray area.

Tao Ying and Bai Mo added each other as friends.

Bai Mo nodded seriously. "Heng, I'm always waiting for you to become its pilot. If you need anything, you can contact my personal account. As for the information you found, please send me a copy."

"OK."

Tao Ying did not say anything definite about driving the mecha. After all, because of Hengwo, he would have a lot of dealings with Bai's Industry in the future.

"As for the information, it's quite basic and probably won't be useful. If you want the data, why not ask her?"

Tao Ying pointed at Researcher Che.

"She remembers the measurements of every part of me."

Researcher Che asked suspiciously, "Did the boss's information also tell you this?"

"Yes, the server contains her diary, it's quite thick, and I can say that I know most of the people around her." Tao Ying smiled and made up a lie without changing her expression.

"No wonder, I was wondering how you knew so much about me and Dalong..."

Researcher Che herself is someone who writes a diary, so she did not doubt Tao Ying's words at all. She lowered her head in thought for a moment, then raised her head again with her eyes shining.

"Can I see the diary?"

"No, she specifically wrote in it that it can't be shown to colleagues at the Laiji Institute, especially an employee named Che."

Tao Ying said kindly, "She said that several of you colleagues always gather in her room to watch the 'Spark Science' series. You're a bit superstitious, and your behavior isn't very reliable."

Researcher Che objected: "That was ten years ago. I watch Mythbusters now. I've matured, okay?"

Aren't they all the same type of shows?

Tao Ying's face was numb: "Anyway, I will obey her wishes. I can't tell you."

"Really? I just want to guess who stole the boss's ashes!"

"no."

It’s not that Tao Ying didn’t give it to her, she just didn’t have the habit of writing a diary.

Wouldn't that leave you vulnerable?

But in the end, Tao Ying couldn't persuade her two colleagues, so she pressed her solar plexus with a headache and raised her hands in surrender.

"If I find any clues to Tao Ying's ashes in the diary, I will let you know."