Sea of Darkness (Part 4)

"Intern Security Inspector Kui Xin, your body has recovered. Please exit the recovery pod."

Kui Xin woke up and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the transparent glass cover of the recovery pod. On the built-in monitor, her physical condition was marked with a green indicator for health.

What she had experienced was not a dream, and she had not returned to the First World. A nurse entered the room, helped Kui Xin open the recovery pod, and removed the IV tube from the back of her hand and the bandages wrapped around her head. "You can leave now. Take it easy for the next couple of days and avoid strenuous activity," the nurse said kindly. "Remember to submit a training exemption application to your squad captain, or your attendance pay will be deducted."

"Got it." Kui Xin quickly nodded, guided by her instinct as someone perpetually short on money.

Attendance pay was too important to forget. Kui Xin straightened up, her feet touching the cold metal floor. She stood and stretched her limbs. After sleeping in the recovery pod, Kui Xin felt refreshed.

She took a couple of steps and caught sight of her reflection in the shiny metal wall. In the First World, Kui Xin had long black hair. In the Second World, her basic appearance resembled her First World self by about seventy or eighty percent, but her long hair had been replaced by a neat, close-cropped short hairstyle.

Kui Xin's skin was pale, and her figure was slender, giving her a slightly frail appearance at first glance. Her body showed no visible injuries; the wounds had healed perfectly.

She stood in the room, feeling momentarily lost. She didn't know where she was supposed to go; she didn't even know where she was. This world was entirely unfamiliar to her.

Kui Xin guessed that she was at the headquarters of the Inspection Department. From Dr. Huang's brief remarks, she had learned that the department was divided into various teams and sections.

Dr. Huang's badge indicated he was the head of the medical office, so Kui Xin was likely treated and operated on at a medical center within the Inspection Department.

Kui Xin gleaned from the identity settings on her game panel that she herself belonged to "Field Operations Team Seven."

There wasn't much time to hesitate; she couldn't afford to stand still.

Kui Xin composed herself and walked to the metal door.

The metal door opened automatically, revealing a corridor lit by flickering indicator lights. The hallway was empty.

Kui Xin stepped into the corridor. Suddenly, a cold mechanical voice echoed in her ears.

"Intern Security Inspector Kui Xin, your Team Seven Captain, Shu Xuyao, has requested you to report to his office. Please follow the green indicator lights." The row of indicator lights along the corridor turned green, guiding Kui Xin's path. Kui Xin observed her surroundings without betraying any emotion.

She noticed surveillance cameras embedded in the walls, their lenses trained on her. She paused for a moment and then followed the green lights forward.

The cameras adjusted their angles to track her movements. When Kui Xin reached a fork in the corridor, the lights on the right-hand path flashed, signaling her to turn right.

After traversing the long corridor, Kui Xin suddenly saw two people approaching from the opposite direction. One of the men had an emergency bandage wrapped around his arm, with blood seeping through, though he didn't seem seriously injured and was able to walk with a clear mind.

The other person surprised her a bit—he was supporting the injured man, and Kui Xin could clearly see the metallic gray sheen of a mechanical arm... He actually had a prosthetic limb.

In this cyberpunk world, people often modified their bodies. Artificial limbs greatly facilitated work and daily life. Cyborgs were extremely common; natural humans without any modifications were the minority.

Now, Kui Xin herself could technically be considered a cyborg. Although it wasn't visible on the outside, she had an indestructible iron skull. The two men walking toward her didn't seem to recognize Kui Xin.

They showed no reaction upon seeing her. Kui Xin hesitated for a moment and decided to take a risk by initiating a conversation. "What happened?" she asked, avoiding any formal titles, as if casually exchanging small talk with colleagues.

Fortunately, the two men also treated Kui Xin as a regular colleague making casual conversation. The injured man grumbled, "What else could it be? The port got bombed again. Those bastards must be tired of living. Once I'm healed, I'm grabbing a gun and wiping them out!"

"Save your breath," the man with the mechanical arm said coldly. "Wait for the minister to issue a unified command before taking any action. Don't throw your life away."

They walked off, cursing under their breath.

The port was bombed again?
Kui Xin watched their retreating figures, pondering as she continued to follow the green indicator lights.

Two minutes later, Kui Xin found herself standing in front of a metal door labeled "Field Operations Team Seven Office - Shu Xuyao."

The door opened. Kui Xin steadied her heartbeat and walked inside.

A circular table came into view, with a floating holographic screen projected above it, densely filled with text. A man in a gray-blue uniform stood before the screen, his back turned to Kui Xin. Without turning around, he said, "Sit."

Kui Xin scanned the room and pulled out a wheeled chair from under the circular table to sit down.

The man turned to face her and said, "You've worked hard. I'll grant you three days off; you don't need to report to the training room during this time."

"Thank you, Captain," Kui Xin replied.

It seemed that the man before her was her direct superior, Shu Xuyao, the captain of Team Seven. At first glance, he appeared to be a considerate leader; he had even proactively given her time off.

"No need to thank me. Failing to protect my team members is partly my responsibility," Shu Xuyao said, rubbing his temples. "Before you go to rest, you need to visit the Criminal Investigation Unit and give a statement about the details of the attack you experienced."

Here it was. Kui Xin tensed up, her palms slightly damp.

As a transmigrator with no memories of her original self, this was a huge liability. She genuinely didn't know anything. Before entering the Second World, her worries had revolved around making ends meet. But now, her concerns had shifted entirely—she needed to focus on survival.

"Captain... I..." Kui Xin hesitated, her expression uncertain.

"What is it?" Shu Xuyao asked patiently, looking at her.

"I don't remember the attack very clearly," Kui Xin said sincerely. "It feels like there are many things I can't recall. Even when I try to think hard, nothing comes to mind."

Shu Xuyao frowned. "What do you remember?"

"I remember my identity—Intern Security Inspector of Team Seven," Kui Xin said cautiously, watching Shu Xuyao's expression.

As expected, Shu Xuyao's frown deepened.

He gave Kui Xin a long look and said, "Adam, contact the medical office and ask them to send a doctor over to examine Kui Xin."

A cold mechanical voice responded, "Your instructions have been conveyed."

Adam? That cold mechanical voice belonged to Adam? Was Adam the name of a super AI?

Kui Xin sat in the chair as Shu Xuyao silently observed her. Then he asked, "You truly don't remember anything?"

"I really don't," Kui Xin said, shaking her head. "What happened?"

"Only you know what happened," Shu Xuyao said, tapping the table with a serious expression. "You chased down the suspect who was planting explosive devices at the port. But when we arrived, you were lying on the ground, bleeding from your head, and the suspect had escaped."

He continued in a grave tone, "Kui Xin, we need you to remember. Recall the suspect's appearance and characteristics; it's crucial for our follow-up actions."

Kui Xin looked up and said, "I'll do my best."

Adam prompted, "The doctor is already outside. Should I let him in?"

"Let him in," Shu Xuyao said.

The metal door silently slid open, and Kui Xin’s old acquaintance, Dr. Huang, pushed in a cart of medical equipment, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Captain Shu, what happened? I just finished a surgery and rushed over."

"Kui Xin has lost her memory. It might be a post-traumatic effect from a brain injury. Take a look at her," Shu Xuyao said, glancing at Dr. Huang.

Dr. Huang looked at Kui Xin with a hint of surprise. “Amnesia?”

He hurriedly took out a scanner-like device and placed it on Kui Xin’s head. A pale blue beam scanned her from head to toe.

Dr. Huang retrieved a monitor and muttered as he examined the data, “Anesthesia might cause temporary amnesia, but the problem clearly isn’t there. A preliminary check doesn’t reveal much. Security officer Kui Xin may need to come back with me to the medical center for a thorough examination.”

“Alright, go now,” Shu Xuyao said.

“Let’s go, Kui Xin,” Dr. Huang nodded at her.

Kui Xin stood up from her chair. “Thank you, doctor.”

“No trouble at all, it’s my duty,” Dr. Huang replied. “Captain Shu, I’ll report the results to you immediately.”

Kui Xin followed Dr. Huang silently down the corridor. The doctor, a chatterbox, rambled on, “The port explosion caused a lot of casualties. Several people underwent mechanical limb transplants, and a few had to replace their organs with bionic ones. I’ve done five or six surgeries today; I haven’t even closed my eyes.”

“Kui Xin, you’re one of the lucky ones,” Dr. Huang sighed. “Some didn’t make it. You’re still young; it’s fortunate you pulled through. Sigh, when will the gangs in Black Sea City finally be eradicated? Every few days, they stir up trouble, and this time, they even dared to bomb the city’s economic lifeline—the port.”

This Dr. Huang was quite the actor... If Kui Xin didn’t already know his identity as a double agent, she might have believed this kindly-looking doctor was genuinely dedicated and concerned about his country’s welfare.

He was deliberately, yet subtly, revealing certain things to Kui Xin, and she absorbed it all, committing it to memory.

If this were a game, every word from an NPC’s hints might be crucial to clearing the game.

After arriving at the medical room, Dr. Huang pressed a button on his wristwatch, and the room’s lights dimmed.

“Adam is omnipresent. We need devices to block its surveillance to communicate freely; otherwise, it might eavesdrop on us.” Dr. Huang dropped his kindly demeanor, his tone sharp. “I didn’t expect your strategy to be feigning amnesia... But it’s surprisingly effective.”

Outside, his tone toward Kui Xin resembled that of an elder speaking to a junior. But here, in a place free from Adam’s surveillance, his demeanor shifted to one of respect. Within the Mechanical Dawn organization, Kui Xin was a core member, ranking higher than him.

Dr. Huang was a double-faced man, adept at playing different roles.

Kui Xin instinctively touched her pocket. Inside were the silver wristband communicator and data chip that Dr. Huang had given her. She suspected the silver wristband carried similar functions, allowing her to block Adam’s surveillance when used correctly.

“Can you forge a medical report for me?” Kui Xin asked proactively.

“Of course,” Dr. Huang replied with a smile. “Why else would I bring you to the medical room?”

Half an hour later, the forged medical report was ready.

Kui Xin took the report and walked out of the medical room, returning to Shu Xuyao’s office.

Shu Xuyao stared at Kui Xin’s medical report, reading it over several times. His gaze finally settled on the last line in the medical advice section: “Proper rest will aid memory recovery.”

“Go back,” he said with a helpless sigh. “If you notice any signs of memory recovery, report to me immediately. You still have three days of leave.”

Kui Xin said, “Understood, Captain.”

As she stepped out of Shu Xuyao’s office, she finally felt a heavy weight lift from her chest.

A thin layer of cold sweat had formed on Kui Xin’s back.

She knew she had passed the first hurdle, preserving herself without arousing suspicion. The challenges ahead would only grow more difficult.

After all, this was a world where advanced technology coexisted with extraordinary powers.

“Mission triggered.”

A glowing panel, visible only to Kui Xin, suddenly appeared.

“[Mission Description]: The simple and honest Black Sea City is an important port city for the Federation and a nest for numerous gang forces. Now, the city is shrouded in conspiracy, and unknown claws are reaching out. You need to investigate this conspiracy.”

“You can choose to accept the mission or refuse it.”
“Refusing might reduce your risk, but accepting could lead to unexpected rewards.”

“[Mission Objective]: Investigate the Black Sea City Port Explosion.”

Kui Xin recalled the sixth piece of advice she had committed to memory before entering the game.

— Everything comes at a price.

The gifts of fate are always secretly marked with a price tag. To gain, one must bear the risk.

Kui Xin was a player navigating the Second World, an explorer of a new realm. Before her lay dangers and opportunities.

Now, the crossroads of fate were right beneath her feet.

Kui Xin chose to accept the mission.

“You have accepted the mission.”

“[Mission Progress]: 0%.”