Tian An didn't respond to Herta's comment, instead tidying the backpack again and putting it back in its original place.
It had to be said, the owner of this backpack was quite the character, having a bag full of nothing but figurines, and all of the same person.
They really had a passion.
"So, do you recognize those two bugs from earlier?" After all, this universe was built by Herta and her colleagues; she was crystal clear about everything that had happened within it.
"I probably recognize them." The little bug's attempt at getting close had failed, and the big bug had almost rammed her like a hundred-ton truck on a national highway.
It was still banging against the door right now... সত্যি বলতে কি, the quality of this door was really good.
"I just checked the data on that bug. I found it completely lacks the physiological structure of a normal creature. Its insides are entirely composed of unknown crystalline products. Do you have any leads?"
"Is it possible... those bugs are crystalline products?" Tian An walked out of the room and back to the front of the second room's door. Sensing Tian An's return, the bug slammed even harder, yet the door didn't show a single dent.
"Crystalline products? Like the stones on your body? Don't you grow these ugly stones on yourself too?" Herta had already begun her genius-level thinking.
"They are the same substance," Tian An said, examining the black crystals on her own body.
During this time, the Originium Crystals growing on her hadn't really affected her life, perhaps because she was quite energy-efficient.
"Then bugs can't possibly grow on your body, right?!" Herta's voice came through again, tinged with alarming excitement.
"..." Genius thinking really does jump around.
"Of course not." If bugs could grow from the crystals on her body, that would be horrifying. Might as well give up on living and buy some insecticide (not really).
"Then, just like Star, fight that bug. Let me see the combat situation."
So fighting is unavoidable after all?
"Can I refuse...?"
"No." ⊂(ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)
With a nervous heart, Tian An placed her hand on the doorknob, carefully observing the large Originium Slug's movement pattern.
It's even a red one. (Arknights reference to stronger variants)
Tian An felt like she could almost see the Originium Slug's expression, even though it didn't have a face.
(‡▼益▼)
Just as Tian An took a deep breath, ready to open the door directly, the moment the doorknob was pressed down, the Originium Slug leaped out instantly. The heavy door was smashed open by immense force, and then... crashed into the wall...
Tian An assumed a defensive stance, preventing this large Originium Slug from playing dirty and tackling her.
What she hadn't expected, however, was that after hitting the wall, the Originium Slug stopped moving, and then... stuck to the wall before slowly peeling off and falling to the ground.
Originium Slug.zip?
Is this wall really that tough? Then what about the glass I broke earlier?
Consider the glass broken by you.
...
"Is this bug... not very intelligent?" Herta felt this "little" thing was even dumber than those spheres from the Anti-Matter Legion.
These bugs probably have no intelligence at all.
Tian An thought silently.
"Let's classify this bug as 'non-threatening' for now. You continue moving."
Where exactly are you seeing 'non-threatening' in these bugs...?
Tian An looked back every few steps, only proceeding towards the next door after confirming the bug was thoroughly dead.
"By the way, I checked the data generated by this world, but I found it originates purely from your brainwaves. Do you really not remember anything?"
"Really, I truly don't remember." Tian An was innocent too. Apart from those two bugs, she really had no memory of this place.
"And this entire area has been copied and built over a dozen times throughout the generated city."
"What do you mean?"
"It means this city is entirely composed of buildings from this one area."
"..."
"You're quite an interesting one, being able to generate such a space," Herta was clearly becoming slightly interested in this phenomenon.
Tian An didn't want to dawdle anymore. She quickly opened the fourth door and stepped inside.
"Beds again?"
But these few beds were very different. Various medical instruments were placed around them, and a cluster of tubes connected to... something under the covers.
Wait, is there someone in the bed?
Tian An was somewhat surprised. Could this really be her forgotten memory?
She cautiously approached the first bed, carefully examining the patient information display on the bedside... empty.
The blanket was completely pulled up, like covering a deceased person.
Tian An slowly lifted the pristine white blanket, which still carried a faint scent of disinfectant, only to see someone she could never have expected.
...
Herself...
Not this self, but the appearance of her real, original self. The body that had once lived a muddled existence.
"This..." Tian An started to panic. Seeing this, what was the difference from seeing herself kill herself in the future?
"What's wrong? Do you know this girl?" Seeing Tian An's panicked movements, Herta asked curiously.
"No... nothing," Tian An tried to touch the girl's face with her hand, but her palm passed straight through.
Even these are projections...? Then why is the blanket still bulging...?
Tian An ran non-stop to the second bed, flung open the covers, and saw a body that was entirely a projection.
It was still herself.
Wrong... wrong, something must be wrong.
Tian An's mind had turned into mush. She had thought that since she found even transmigration normal, she should be able to handle things she considered simple.
"What is wrong with you... Wait, did you tamper with the simulation data?" A rare hint of surprise entered Herta's voice.
Tian An blocked everything else out of her mind. She watched as the body of the sleeping girl before her began to peel away, tearing from pale skin to exposed muscle, then becoming unrecognizable.
Tian An uncontrollably stumbled backward.
In the blink of an eye, her surroundings began to collapse relentlessly.
"Theresia? Answer me... Theresia..." Herta's voice abruptly cut off.
The floor was torn apart by garbled code. Tian An stepped into the void, her body beginning to fall uncontrollably.
The entire city started to crumble. Storms of garbled code swept through every street, turning the affected areas pitch black, until the last sliver of pure land, carrying the sun, swept past the horizon, flashing across Tian An's eyes as a final point of light.
...
Herta was ejected. The system informed her of a data reading error and forcibly kicked her out.
Could it be... a real Aeon arrived?
No, impossible. That Aeon wouldn't be bored enough to come find this place.
Then there's only one possibility. The Simulated Universe was attacked.
Who dares to pick a fight with her, Herta?
With a trace of disdain, Herta walked up to the Simulated Universe machine. Looking at the two figures standing within the circle, eyes tightly shut, an idea had already formed in her mind.
She put down the data connection terminal and spoke towards the other side of the display screen:
"Star, stop playing around. I have a mission for you."
...
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(Author's Note: I will give the protagonist a good story! (Confident))