NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 4
**Chapter 4: Sea Without Light 04**
“Intern Patrol Security Officer Kui Xin, your body has fully recovered. Please leave the treatment pod.”
Kui Xin woke up, her eyes opening to the sight of the transparent glass enclosure of the treatment pod. On the built-in display, her health status was marked green.
What she experienced was not a dream; she had not returned to the First World.
A nurse walked in to help Kui Xin open the treatment pod, then removed the IV line from her wrist and the bandages wrapped around her head.
“You can leave now. Just remember to rest for the next couple of days and avoid strenuous activities,” the nurse said kindly. “Make sure to submit a training exemption request to your squad leader, or else pay will be deducted.”
“Okay.” Kui Xin quickly nodded, guided by her frugal instincts.
She couldn’t forget something as critical as pay.
Rising from the pod, her feet touched the cold metal floor, and she stood to stretch a bit.
After sleeping in the treatment pod, Kui Xin felt revitalized. She walked a few steps and saw her current appearance reflected in the shiny metal wall.
In the First World, Kui Xin had long black hair, but in the Second World, her basic appearance bore a resemblance to her prior self, though now her long hair had been cut into short, neat sideburns. Her complexion was pale, her body slim, giving off a somewhat fragile impression at first glance.
There were no visible injuries on her body; the wounds had healed nicely.
Standing in the room, she felt a moment of disorientation.
She didn’t know where to go; she didn’t even know where she was. This world was completely unfamiliar to her.
Kui Xin guessed she was in the Investigation Bureau headquarters. From Doctor Huang’s scattered remarks, she understood that the Investigation Bureau had various teams and departments. Since Doctor Huang’s badge indicated he was the director of the medical office, it was likely Kui Xin had undergone surgery and treatment at a medical center within the Bureau.
From the identity settings on the game panel, she learned she belonged to the “Field Operations Team, Seventh Squad.”
Not wanting to hesitate further, she knew she couldn’t remain idle.
Regulating her emotions, Kui Xin walked to the metal door.
The metal door opened automatically, revealing a corridor illuminated by flickering indicator lights, which was completely deserted.
Stepping into the corridor, a cold mechanical voice suddenly echoed in her ears.
“Intern Patrol Security Officer Kui Xin, your squad leader, Xueyao Shu, has notified you to report to his office. Please proceed following the green indicator lights.”
A row of indicator lights in the corridor turned green, guiding Kui Xin’s way.
Discreetly observing her surroundings, Kui Xin noticed surveillance monitors embedded in the walls, pointing cameras directly at her.
Pausing for a moment, she walked forward, following the green indicator lights, and the cameras adjusted their angles as she moved. When she reached a fork in the path, the indicator lights on the right side blinked just in time, reminding her to take that route.
After navigating through the long corridor, Kui Xin suddenly spotted two figures approaching from the opposite direction. One man had an emergency bandage wrapped around his arm, stained with blood, but he didn’t seem severely injured and was able to walk consciously. The other person surprised Kui Xin; he was aiding the injured man, and she could see a harsh gray metallic sheen on his right arm… he actually had a mechanical arm.
In the cyberpunk world, people often modified their bodies, and mechanical prosthetics greatly facilitated their work and lives. Cybernetic modifications were quite common; unmodified individuals were the rare exceptions.
Kui Xin could be considered a cybernetic individual herself now, though this was not apparent from her appearance—she had an indestructible iron head.
The two men approaching didn’t seem to recognize Kui Xin and showed no reaction upon seeing her.
Keenly thinking, she decided to take the risk and make small talk.
“What happened?” she asked, omitting any formal address, as if they were simply colleagues making casual conversation.
Fortunately, the two men regarded her as an ordinary colleague engaging in chit-chat. The injured man swore, “What else could it be? The port got blown up again. Those bastards are really asking for it; once I’m back in action, I’ll take them all down with my gun!”
“Calm down. Wait for the Minister’s unified orders before acting; don’t go and get yourself killed,” the man with the mechanical arm retorted coldly.
They continued to rant as they walked away.
The port got blown up again?
Kui Xin glanced at their retreating figures, contemplating while following the green indicator lights.
Two minutes later, she stopped in front of a metal door labeled “Field Operations Team, Seventh Squad Office – Xueyao Shu.”
The door opened, and as her heartbeat settled, she entered.
A circular table came into view, where a floating holographic screen was filled with dense text. A man in a gray-blue uniform stood in front of the screen and spoke without turning to Kui Xin, “Sit.”
Scanning the room, Kui Xin pulled over a wheeled chair from under the circular table and sat down.
The man turned to face her and said, “Thank you for your efforts. I’m granting you three days off; you don’t have to go to the training room during this time.”
“Thank you, Squad Leader.” Kui Xin replied.
It seemed the man in front of her was her direct supervisor, Squad Leader Xueyao Shu. So far, he appeared to be a considerate leader who was giving time off.
“There’s no need for thanks. It’s partly my responsibility for not protecting the team member well,” Xueyao Shu said, massaging his forehead. “Before you go for a rest, you’ll need to visit the Criminal Investigation Team to provide a statement regarding the details of your attack.”
Here it came. Kui Xin felt a surge of anxiety, her palms slightly sweaty.
As someone who had crossed over, not inheriting any memories of her original self was a significant risk; she genuinely had no idea about anything.
Before entering the Second World, she worried about making a living. Upon entering the Second World, her concerns shifted entirely—she needed to consider survival.
“Squad Leader… I…” Kui Xin hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” Xueyao Shu watched her patiently.
“I’m not clear about the attack,” Kui Xin replied sincerely. “It seems like I can’t remember a lot of things, and trying to recall doesn’t help either.”
Xueyao Shu frowned. “What do you remember then?”
“I remember my identity, an intern security officer in the Seventh Squad.” Kui Xin observed the expression on Xueyao Shu’s face with caution.
Sure enough, Xueyao Shu’s brow furrowed even deeper.
He glanced at her and said, “Augus, contact the medical office and have a doctor come over to examine Kui Xin.”
A cold mechanical voice responded, “Your instruction has been conveyed.”
Augus? Is this cold mechanical voice belonging to Augus?
Is Augus the name of a super AI?
Sitting in the chair, Kui Xin felt unusually scrutinized by Xueyao Shu, who asked, “You really don’t remember anything at all?”
“Honestly, I don’t remember.” Kui Xin shook her head. “What happened at the time?”
“Only you know what took place.” Xueyao Shu tapped the table lightly. “You chased down a suspect who was setting explosives at the port, but when we arrived, you were found on the ground, bloodied, while the suspect had escaped.”
He said in a serious tone, “Kui Xin, we need you to recall the suspect’s appearance details; it’s critical for our subsequent actions.”
Kui Xin raised her head, saying, “I’ll do my best.”
Augus chimed in, “The doctor is outside; should I let him in?”
“Let him in,” Xueyao Shu replied.
The metal door opened silently, and Kui Xin’s familiar figure, Doctor Huang, entered, sweating and pushing medical equipment. “Squad Leader Shu, what’s going on? I just rushed over after finishing a surgery.”
“Kui Xin has amnesia; it may be a sequel symptom caused by a head injury. Please check her,” Xueyao Shu indicated towards Doctor Huang.
Doctor Huang looked at Kui Xin with some surprise. “Amnesia?”
Without delay, he took out a scanner-like device, placing it on Kui Xin’s head, and a pale blue beam scanned her from head to toe.
Doctor Huang examined the data on a monitor, muttering, “The anesthetic might cause temporary amnesia, but clearly, the problem isn’t just that. A rough check doesn’t reveal much. Security Officer Kui Xin will probably need to come back with me to the medical center for a thorough examination.”
“Mhm, let’s go now,” Xueyao Shu authorized.
“Come on, Kui Xin.” Doctor Huang nodded at her.
Kui Xin stood up from the chair. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“No trouble; it’s part of my duty,” Doctor Huang said. “Squad Leader, I’ll report to you immediately once I have the results.”
Kui Xin remained silent as she followed Doctor Huang down the corridor, while he chatter away: “A lot of casualties in the port bombing; several people have had mechanical prosthetic implants, and a few have replaced their bionic organs. I’ve done five or six surgeries today; my eyes haven’t even closed.”
“Kui Xin, you’re lucky,” Doctor Huang sighed. “Some people didn’t survive. You’re still so young; it’s a relief you made it through. Sigh, when will the gangs in Hei Hai City be cleaned out? They’re causing chaos every few days, and this time, they even targeted the economic lifeline—the port.”
Doctor Huang’s performance was impressive… If Kui Xin didn’t know his traitorous identity, she might think this kind-hearted doctor was genuinely dedicated and worried about the country.
He was unwittingly revealing some things to Kui Xin, which she absorbed completely, storing it in her memory.
If this were a game, every sentence prompted by NPCs could greatly aid in clearing the game.
Upon reaching the medical room, Doctor Huang pressed a button on his wristwatch, dimming the lights.
“Augus is everywhere; we need to use devices to evade its surveillance to communicate freely. Otherwise, it might be listening to us.” Doctor Huang dropped his previously kind demeanor. “I didn’t expect your strategy was to feign amnesia… but it’s surprisingly effective.”
The way he spoke to Kui Xin outside was like an elder consulting a younger one, but here, in a place free from Augus’ monitoring, he showed her respect. Kui Xin was regarded as a core member within Mechanized Dawn, with a rank higher than his.
Doctor Huang was a two-faced character.
Intuitively, Kui Xin touched her pocket, finding the silver communicator and data chip he had given her safely stowed away. She suspected that the silver communicator also had similar functions; using it properly could shield her from the surveillance of the AI Augus.
“Can you forge a health report for me?” Kui Xin asked proactively.
“Of course,” Doctor Huang replied with a smile. “I brought you to the medical room just for this purpose.”
Half an hour later, the forged health report was ready.
Kui Xin held the health report as she exited the medical room and returned to Xueyao Shu’s office.
Xueyao Shu scrutinized Kui Xin’s health report several times, his gaze lingering on the last line of the suggested treatment: “Adequate rest aids in memory recovery.”
“Go back,” he sighed, speaking helplessly. “If there are signs of memory recovery, come find me immediately. Your leave remains three days.”
“Understood, Squad Leader.” Kui Xin replied.
As she stepped out of Xueyao Shu’s office, she felt as if a heavy weight had lifted from her chest.
A thin layer of virtual sweat broke out on Kui Xin’s back.
She knew she had passed the first hurdle, preserving herself without raising any suspicions. The upcoming challenges would only be more daunting.
After all, this was a world marked by advanced technology alongside extraordinary powers.
“Task Triggered.”
A shimmering light screen appeared, visible only to Kui Xin.
“【Task Description】: The quaint city of Hei Hai is an important port city of the Federation, but it is also a den of various gang forces. Currently, Hei Hai is shrouded in conspiracy, with unknown henchmen reaching out. You need to investigate this conspiracy thoroughly.”
“You can choose to accept the task or refuse it.”
“Refusing might spare you some risk, but accepting could yield unexpected rewards.”
“【Task Content】: Investigate the port bombing case in Hei Hai City.”
Kui Xin recalled the sixth piece of advice that she had memorized before entering the game.
—Everything comes with a price.
The gifts of fate always come with a hidden price tag; to obtain them, one must endure risks.
Kui Xin was a player navigating through the Second World, also an explorer in this new world. Before her lay both danger and opportunity.
Now, the crossroads of fate lay at her feet.
Kui Xin chose to accept the task.
“You have accepted the task.”
“【Task Progress】: 0%.”