As the three light clusters merged into her body, Jiang Baimian felt a slight change, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Is this what awakening feels like? She habitually lowered her head, looking at her hands, but found nothing different.
Suddenly, the starlight figure in the center of the plaza seemed to come to life, retreating to the edge, creating a significant distance between itself and Jiang Baimian.
Jiang Baimian didn't panic, calmly watching this scene unfold, as if she had expected it all along.
She had just tried to use the mirror effect of the black metal wall to cast "Spatial Illusion" on herself.
"This ability interferes with the target's perception of space, confusing their sense of front and back, left and right, up and down, near and far. Moreover, it seems to be able to do some 'cutting' and 'reconstruction', creating a spatial environment that meets the need... This aspect of exploration might require entering the 'Sea of Origin' and passing through one or two islands before it can be deeply investigated..." Jiang Baimian wasn't in a hurry to return to reality because, at this moment, she was likely undergoing a biological cochlear implant surgery.
Next, she tried "Object Agnosia" and "Stimulus Dysregulation."
Whether it was because the "mirror" medium failed to work, or because the "Hall of Stars" lacked "substantial" objects and stimuli, Jiang Baimian ultimately failed.
She could only make preliminary guesses based on the names:
"'Object Agnosia' should also be a type of illusion, causing the target to misidentify the required object. For example, wanting to grab a gun to shoot, but picking up an umbrella and going biubiubiu, or a poisoned dagger being mistaken for a delicious cream cake, licked several times...
"'Stimulus Dysregulation' sounds like the inability to produce the correct reaction to stimuli... Not knowing to close your eyes when a flashlight shines on you, not knowing to avoid danger when you sense it?"
Constantly speculating and analyzing, Jiang Baimian gradually felt tired.
Her figure slowly faded, disappearing into the "Hall of Stars."
…………
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Baimian opened her eyes.
Mei Shou'an, who had been closely monitoring her situation, breathed a sigh of relief, moved closer, and asked with a smile:
"How is it?"
Based on his experience, as long as the subject could wake up, the problem wouldn't be too big, and they could be cured.
Uh, Uncle Mei is too excited, is his voice a bit loud? Doesn't seem like it... Jiang Baimian subconsciously raised her hand, reaching for her ear.
Unlike before, there was no metallic texture this time.
Finally, Jiang Baimian realized:
The biological cochlear implant surgery was successful!
Her hearing had returned to normal!
At this moment, there was a thick layer of "skin" in her ear canal, but it wasn't completely blocked. Looking at it, there was almost nothing abnormal.
Jiang Baimian relaxed, adapting to her current state while groping to sit up, and replied to Mei Shou'an's question with a smile:
"It's fine.
"Yeah, I've awakened."
Mei Shou'an was stunned for a second, subconsciously asking back:
"It worked?"
Jiang Baimian nodded solemnly.
Mei Shou'an pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, scratched the hair on the side of his head, and muttered to himself with a puzzled look:
"Could adding a music-listening session before the final step significantly increase the success rate of awakening?
"What's the principle behind this?"
Shang Jianyao would probably love your guess... Jiang Baimian thought to herself, tentatively asking:
"Can I go now?"
Although the biological cochlear implant surgery wasn't major, it wasn't the type of outpatient procedure where you could just leave after it was done. Seeing Jiang Baimian nimbly jump off the operating table, hardly affected, Mei Shou'an couldn't help but exclaim:
"Your physical fitness is indeed outstanding. The gene modification worked very well.
"However, I suggest you rest and observe for another half an hour, just in case."
"Okay." Jiang Baimian moved her head, feeling a slight dizziness still lingering.
Immediately afterward, Mei Shou'an asked:
"Which field did you choose?"
"'Shattered Mirror'." Jiang Baimian didn't hide it, but she didn't say what her ability and price were, respectively.
For an Awakened, these were all things that needed to be kept secret.
Mei Shou'an completely understood, didn't press further, and instead said:
"I'll give you the relevant information later, so you can try to enter the 'Sea of Origin' as soon as possible."
Saying that, Mei Shou'an couldn't help but add:
"Just don't go around messing things up like Shang Jianyao from your team."
Is that something you can learn just by wanting to? Without years of mental problems, there's no way you could come up with those operations of his! Jiang Baimian internally complained, obediently nodding her head on the surface:
"Okay."
After waiting for half an hour, confirming that there were no problems with her body, Jiang Baimian politely said to Mei Shou'an:
"Uncle Mei, I should go."
"Come back in three days for a checkup." Mei Shou'an nodded slightly.
He escorted Jiang Baimian all the way to the entrance of the C-14 project team.
During this process, Jiang Baimian remembered the price she had paid and quickly added a message to her biological prosthetic auxiliary chip:
"Next, go back to Room 14 on the 647th floor."
That way, she wouldn't get the floor and room wrong because of her "terrible sense of direction."
Mei Shou'an watched Jiang Baimian leave, standing at the entrance, pondering today's experimental process, hoping to summarize more beneficial experiences from it.
He was always like this, lost in thought regardless of the time or place, a research fanatic.
Recalling and recalling, Mei Shou'an suddenly saw Jiang Baimian walking back.
"What's wrong?" he asked with the concern of an elder.
Jiang Baimian's eyes seemed a bit blank, but quickly returned to normal. She opened her mouth and raised her hand, saying:
"Ah... Uncle Mei, I have another question I wanted to ask you."
"What is it?" Mei Shou'an indicated that she could ask anything.
Jiang Baimian rolled her eyes slightly and said:
"The C-14 project is open to anyone who applies to participate in the experiment, right? Any employee of any rank can participate, even outsiders?"
"Of course." Mei Shou'an smiled, "Our biggest problem has always been the lack of volunteers."
"Oh..." Jiang Baimian pointed in a direction, "Then I'll go."
"What are you going to do over there?" Mei Shou'an asked with a puzzled look.
Jiang Baimian laughed "haha":
"Just pointing randomly."
Then, she walked in the opposite direction.
…………
647th floor.
After waiting for a while without their team leader arriving, Shang Jianyao and the others entered the training room and began their daily workout.
Near the end, Shang Jianyao finished the water in his cup, wiped away his sweat, and left to get a refill from the office.
He took a few steps and saw Jiang Baimian walking toward him.
"You're late!" Shang Jianyao pointed out.
Jiang Baimian disdained to answer:
"I took leave. I went to get a biological cochlear implant surgery today."
Shang Jianyao's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice, as if he were whispering a secret:
"Ef, fect, good, or, not?"
"Very good!" Jiang Baimian said through gritted teeth.
Clap clap clap, Shang Jianyao applauded.
Jiang Baimian glanced at the rising steam on his body, too lazy to bother, and nodded her head:
"You continue training."
She then walked past Shang Jianyao.
Shang Jianyao didn't say anything, continuing forward, returning to the office, and getting a cup of warm water.
Soon, the morning workout ended, and Bai Chen and the others showered and entered Room 14.
"The team leader still isn't here..." Long Yuehong glanced around, feeling puzzled.
Shang Jianyao honestly replied:
"I ran into her in the corridor just now."
"She probably went to report for duty." Bai Chen guessed.
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Baimian appeared at the door.
Looking at the three people inside, Jiang Baimian raised her hand to wipe her forehead and said with a smile:
"You're very disciplined with your training."
"Team Leader, did you go to report for duty?" Long Yuehong asked curiously.
Jiang Baimian walked back into the room, her smile becoming even more obvious:
"I went to get a biological cochlear implant surgery, and also, an awakening experiment."
"You've awakened?" Shang Jianyao immediately grasped the main point.
Jiang Baimian nodded reservedly:
"Yes."
"What's your ability and the price?" Shang Jianyao didn't treat himself like an outsider at all.
Jiang Baimian tilted her head and glanced at the door:
"I'll tell you next time we're on an outing."
She didn't want to hide her ability and the price from her team members. That way, they could cooperate effectively and reduce the negative impact, but now wasn't the right time to talk about it.
Bai Chen quietly listened and then said:
"Then I'll apply for biological prosthetic limb implantation and gene modification surgery today."
"Okay." Jiang Baimian nodded.
The reason she said "tomorrow or an accident, you never know which will come first" was because she wasn't sure she could wake up from the awakening experiment. If she became a vegetable, Bai Chen would need to reconsider whether to stay in the "Old Task Force". If she didn't stay, there would be no need to risk undergoing gene modification.
Now, the accident hadn't happened.
Hearing the conversation between the two, Long Yuehong opened his mouth but didn't make a sound.
Jiang Baimian looked at him, smiling, and said:
"Don't rush, think about it for a few more days. You can wait for the results of Xiaobai's surgery before deciding."
Without waiting for Long Yuehong to respond, she instead asked:
"Has someone on your floor been infected with 'Heartless Disease' again?"
"I ran into it." Long Yuehong let out a breath.
"I don't know if it's man-made or natural..." Jiang Baimian clearly remembered the "Life Ritual" cult.
After discussing this matter for a while, she looked at the time on her wrist and said with a smile:
"Let's talk more in the afternoon. Let's eat first.
"My treat, to celebrate!"
With that, she took the lead and walked out of Room 14, turning to the other side.
Seeing this, Long Yuehong asked in confusion:
"Team Leader, are we going to try the food in the small cafeteria in another area this time?"
Jiang Baimian "uh"ed, seriously thought for a moment, and then said:
"Never mind."
She shook her head and turned her body around.
At the same time, she urged Shang Jianyao:
"Hey, you go ahead. You'll be responsible for carrying the dishes later."