Ikezawa continued, "And if I remember correctly, SAM wasn't just a mecha, but also a medical pod, right?"
He paused, realizing what he'd said. Lü Heng, even more confused, asked, "Medical pod? What does that mean?"
Ikezawa hesitated, then glanced at Firefly. "Is it okay if I talk about this?"
After accidentally revealing one of her secrets earlier, and with Firefly herself right there, it seemed best to ask first. Besides, the medical pod was tied to Firefly's identity as a synthetic weapon and the destruction of her homeworld. Ikezawa wasn't sure if this was a sensitive topic for her. What if he angered her and she torched the entire sea? Would he need to start scouting for a suitable gravesite?
Even though Firefly had been incredibly gentle and kind to the protagonist in the game, he wasn't Stelle or Caelus now! To her, he was just a stranger.
Noticing Ikezawa's nervousness, Firefly paused to gather her thoughts, following his train of thought and realizing what he was trying to say. "That's all in the past now," she reassured him. "It doesn't matter anymore."
Only then did Ikezawa begin his explanation. "Basically, a Cosmic Civilization created artificial humans to defend against the Swarm, equipping them with mecha as weapons. These became the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, and SAM was one of them."
"To prevent this technology from falling into the hands of other civilizations, they built a failsafe into the weapons. The artificial humans suffer from a disease that causes them to die after a certain period. The mecha serve as both weapons and Medical Pods—only inside the mecha can they prolong their survival."
It's worth noting that Robin had previously shared information about the Glamoth Iron Cavalry with Zhong Wanhong and members of the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations. However, Lü Heng's position likely meant he had never been privy to this knowledge before.
After hearing Ikezawa's explanation, Lü Heng was immediately stunned. "So, without being transformed, your life is essentially on a ticking clock?!"
Firefly nodded. It was true, although... the System had cured her Entropy Loss Syndrome from the very beginning, but of course, she couldn't reveal that.
Lü Heng pressed further, "Then why aren't you staying in the Medical Pod?"
It was like a critically ill patient refusing to rest in the hospital and wandering around outside instead—utterly incomprehensible.
But for Firefly, could she really just lounge at home in SAM's form, lying in bed scrolling through her phone? That was too absurd. True to her character, she replied, "I prefer living in this world as myself, even if my time is limited."
She smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about me. Even without SAM's Medical Pod, I can still live for quite a while."
What Firefly meant was to dissuade Lü Heng from worrying about it—it wasn't a big deal. But to Lü Heng, her smile seemed tinged with sorrow and resignation.
A super-cute and incredibly powerful beautiful girl, equipped with a super cool and formidable mecha—what initially appeared to be an object of boundless envy concealed a devastating hidden cost.
A life cut short, a life lived as a weapon—yet this young girl before him would rather live a shorter time, just to experience the world as a human being.
Talk about maxing out the buffs!
Lü Heng suddenly felt as if he'd been stabbed.
Would a terminally ill patient choose to languish in a sterile hospital room, enduring two months of despair amidst the stench of disinfectant, or leave the hospital to breathe fresh air in a park, observe the bustling crowds, or return home to see their family, savoring their final days?
In Lü Heng's eyes, Firefly had undoubtedly chosen the latter.
Like a fleeting firefly drawn to the flame, she yearned for the light even in death.
Clearly, Lü Heng had no right to question Firefly's choice. But an idea struck him, and he quickly spoke up. "Wait! Didn't a miracle doctor join the Chat Group? Miss Lingsha? Maybe we can ask her for help! See if she can cure you?"
Lü Heng wasted no time. Even as he spoke, he was already typing in the Chat Group, @-mentioning Lingsha.
Firefly was speechless. Lü Heng was acting like a frantic king, as if she were about to drop dead at any moment. Since he'd gone this far, she decided to play along. "Is Miss Lingsha really that amazing?"
Lü Heng nodded emphatically, recalling the effects of the "Universal Medicine." "Absolutely!"
Firefly watched Lü Heng, who seemed to believe in her "abilities" even more than she did herself. A faint twitch tugged at the corner of her mouth. To be honest, if she still had Entropy Loss Syndrome, Lingsha's current medical skills wouldn't be enough to cure it.
But she no longer had the syndrome. Still, since the doctor and patient were essentially the same person, wouldn't the success of the treatment ultimately depend on her own assessment?
At worst, it would just be a quick trip to Lingsha's clinic—nothing too time-consuming.
As they chatted, the group finally arrived at a nearby restaurant and settled into a private booth. Ikezawa and Lü Heng sat on one side, while Firefly and Li took the opposite seats. It was worth noting that despite Li's many quirks and endless stream of questions, her attention shifted quickly. She had completely forgotten about SAM and was now pointing at dishes on the menu, asking about their flavors.
This Doggirl had gradually developed a refined palate from the diverse culinary delights of this world.
After lunch, the brief gathering of Chat Group members came to an end. As they parted ways, Firefly reiterated, "So, if you ever run into trouble, you can just message me directly in the Chat Group. I'm happy to help!"
Lü Heng nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely, absolutely! Though if I could personally witness your transformation, that would be even better!"
Only Ikezawa, walking away to compose himself, suddenly realized something. Wait a minute... Didn't I go to the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations today to stake out Robin? But instead of Robin, I ran into Firefly?
Counting on his fingers, he thought, Good grief! How many 'acquaintances' are there in this world?