Chapter 184 - 183: Energy Exhausted

The lab was quiet. Jian Yu watched Xu Jianjuan prepare the medicine while keeping an eye on the instruments.

Xu Jianjuan suddenly spoke up. "Have any interest in changing your major?"

It was rare for her to find someone so in sync. The moment she paused, Jian Yu would immediately hand her what she needed.

"I think my current major is just fine," Jian Yu said.

The atmosphere turned cold. For the next two hours, Xu Jianjuan didn’t say another word.

’A real conversation killer,’ Jian Yu thought, pursing her lips as she glanced at Xu Jianjuan.

’Good thing I wasn’t the one who started the conversation. It would have been so awkward if it died on my end.’

Time passed in their shared silence.

Once the medicine was ready, Xu Jianjuan poured it into a medical vial.

She stared at the light green Genetic Potion in her hand, her mind drifting.

This was the medicine she was most familiar with, the subject of her most successful research during her university years.

’But in my past life, didn’t I rarely touch this kind of pharmaceutical research?’

In her memories, she had given out a lot of medicine. Each time, it was Sheng Yue and his group who came to collect it on behalf of the Alliance.

A lab thick with the smell of chemicals. Outside, a quarantine layer, and beyond that, an apartment-style garden with strange, black flowers.

Xu Jianjuan closed her eyes. The medicines in her mind were either black or red.

’Why... Why is it that none of the medicines I researched later seemed like proper ones?’

Noticing Xu Jianjuan’s strange mood, Jian Yu spoke up to pull her back. "Is this the gene-regulating medicine?"

Small molecules that activate and regulate gene expression, suppressing the genetic defects that arise from mutations.

Overall, it was still a medicine developed for the genetic problems of ordinary people.

’I have to admire the female lead. If it were me, I wouldn’t be so willing to go to all this trouble for others.’

"Mm. Yes." Xu Jianjuan’s eyes refocused, and she nodded, her spirits low.

She paused for a moment, then began to wrap up the experiment. "That’s about it. You can leave first if you have nothing else to do. Just send me the paper portion in the next two days."

"Alright." Jian Yu turned, her gaze falling on two boxes of pills on the side.

From the packaging, they didn’t look like any commercially available drugs.

Her steps halted. She stared for a little too long.

Xu Jianjuan noticed Jian Yu’s line of sight. "Those are spiritual pills I made myself. They can effectively control spiritual instability."

Her voice was cold. "I originally planned to give them to Yan Qin. But before I could, she was gone."

Jian Yu was surprised that she knew about what happened to Yan Qin, and also surprised by the medicine’s effect. "Is it because of the Soul Ghost Body?"

It wasn’t clear if it was out of trust or just a sense of apathy, but Xu Jianjuan answered without holding back. "I’ve taken them myself. They’re very effective."

As far as she knew, the aura of the Soul Ghost Body on her had always been dead.

Even Sheng Yue hadn’t discovered it.

Xu Jianjuan’s expression was blank as she stated, "It was only after taking the medicine that I realized a dead Soul Ghost Body was following me."

Jian Yu was stunned. "Dead? How can a dead Soul Ghost Body follow you? Is it the one Pei Yin caught?"

’How is this different from what Pei Yin and the others said?’

’Or was it that the Soul Ghost Body possessing Xu Jianjuan before and after wasn’t the same one?’

Xu Jianjuan’s eyes were hesitant. "If I’m not mistaken, he probably didn’t exactly ’catch’ it."

After the medicinal treatment, her mind quickly stabilized.

"A Soul Ghost Body primarily obtains energy by devouring the brains of ordinary people, the spiritual power of the Half-awakened, and the Soul Power of Awakeners."

Xu Jianjuan paused for a beat before continuing.

"The Soul Ghost Body couldn’t affect me, so it couldn’t possess me to obtain energy. It ran out of energy and accidentally revealed its true form in front of Pei Yin."

Jian Yu sensed something was wrong. "Your understanding of Soul Ghost Bodies was very low before. It’s a huge difference from who you are now."

As soon as the words were out, Jian Yu found a reason for the female lead. "It seems the records on Soul Ghost Bodies in Library No. 2 are quite comprehensive."

"...Perhaps." Xu Jianjuan’s pupils contracted. She moved her right hand behind her back, digging her nails into her palm.

The force wasn’t enough to draw blood, but it was enough to clear her head.

Since she was reborn, she hadn’t been to Library No. 2 once.

’The logic is wrong.’

’In my past life, I was in university for so many years. Even if I spent three of them on missions, it’s impossible for my understanding of Soul Ghost Bodies to have been that low.’

’Not to mention, by this time in my previous life, I was already Awakened. The books in Library No. 2 are completely open to Awakeners and the Half-awakened.’

This knowledge about Soul Ghost Bodies felt like it had been inexplicably stuffed back into her brain over the past few days.

Xu Jianjuan’s heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed unconsciously.

"That’s impressive," Jian Yu praised her.

’There’s no medicine on the market yet that can resist a Soul Ghost Body’s Spiritual Attack, but the female lead actually made one.’

’The system might be benevolent, but I have to say, the plot has really deviated a lot.’

Xu Jianjuan’s thoughts were a mess. She handed the pills to Jian Yu. "If you want them, they’re yours."

She hesitated for a moment. "You can give them to Pei Yin to study, too. I’ll send you the formula later."

Jian Yu’s eyes widened.

Xu Jianjuan looked awkward. "Their status is higher than mine. The medicine will be better distributed in their hands. If Pei Yin has it, more ordinary people will be able to buy it."

Jian Yu didn’t ask any more questions. "I’ll give it to him."

She took the pills. One row had been used, and she could smell a faint scent of Beast Plant from the empty foil pockets.

Xu Jianjuan sat down and watched Jian Yu take off her sterile suit, revealing a form-fitting dress underneath.

"Do you like dresses?"

Jian Yu paused while changing her shoes. "I do."

She stood up and walked to the door. Suddenly, Xu Jianjuan spoke again. "If possible, have Si Xu come see me."

She explained, "Si Xu doesn’t see people often. The auditorium was closed a few days ago."

"I’ll pass on the message." Seeing that Xu Jianjuan wasn’t making an unreasonable request, Jian Yu agreed.

She added cautiously, "But I can’t guarantee whether Si Xu will come or not."

She left the laboratory. Her Star Brain projected a blue screen.

A message from Shi Zhao appeared before Jian Yu’s eyes.

Shi Zhao: I might not be able to see the little Leader today.

Shi Zhao: The clan is calling an emergency meeting. Sister Ai Yi said the Great Elder discovered something big.

Shi Zhao: Leave a message if you need anything. I’ll reply as soon as I see it!

Jian Yu sent a brief reply.

She rounded a corner and entered Sector 2.

She looked up at the sign for Library No. 2 in front of her.

It was crowded. The moment Jian Yu walked in, she was met by a sea of young, stunned faces.

Those reading physical books stopped turning their pages. Those reading e-books didn’t even notice when their screens went dark.

Jian Yu thought they were being too dramatic. She walked further and further to the side, awkwardly making her way to a corner.

Only after escaping everyone’s line of sight could she finally take in the library’s interior.

It was spacious and simple, with a reading chair standing next to each row of bookshelves.

Jian Yu sat down and used the electronic guide screen to search for information on books about Soul Ghost Bodies and their locations.

She found the books and, upon clicking, discovered she could read them directly on the screen.

So, Jian Yu simply sat in the corner and began to read.

"A Soul Ghost Body primarily obtains energy by devouring brains, spiritual power, and Soul Power."

"A Soul Ghost Body can contaminate the minds of ordinary people, gradually controlling and consuming their brains."

"While memory doesn’t entirely represent the brain or mind, the brain is a core component of both memory and the mind."

"To date, there have been no recorded instances of a Soul Ghost Body with the aura of death."

Jian Yu rubbed her eyes. As she lifted her hand, she saw the red thread on her wrist pulsing rapidly.

It was a sign that one of the associated personnel was approaching.

The known individuals she was bound to were: Ling Yanzhi, Xi Yu, Pei Yin, Si Xu, and Sheng Yue.