The convoy came to a halt for much-needed repairs. Despite the circumstances, many survivors opted to remain on the bus, while a few ventured outside. Numerous individuals sought to approach Su Chen, but the soldiers assigned by Su Wenhao skillfully kept them at bay, maintaining a protective barrier.
One person managed to slip through the defenses without hindrance—Xia Chuwei. She smoothly made her way to Su Chen's side, her concern evident in her voice as she asked, "Are you... alright?"
"I'm fine," Su Chen replied casually.
Xia Chuwei had previously carried Su Chen's backpack, which now returned to its rightful owner. It contained the items Su Chen had prepared prior to the apocalypse, along with some miscellaneous objects he had attempted to modify, such as water bottles and canvas bags.
She glanced at Su Chen, a brief moment of silence passing between them before she broke into a bright and sunny smile. Playfully, she remarked, "You and Lin Mo have truly opened my eyes. I used to think you two were simply extraordinary individuals, but who would have thought you were extraordinary weirdos?"
"Weirdos? Where do you see me as a weirdo?" Su Chen smirked, tapping his nose with a hint of gloom. "It's just that kid Lin Mo..."
"I believe he'll pull through. Once he recovers, he might even come looking for us on his own accord," Xia Chuwei reassured both Su Chen and herself. When necessary, she remained grounded in reality. But before today, she couldn't resist a playful thought, "Considering the close bond he shares with you, he definitely won't be willing to leave you alone."
"What's with everyone assuming we're... gay?" Su Chen's mouth twitched, but he nodded nonetheless. Lin Mo possessed formidable combat abilities, and under extreme mutation, he would only grow even more formidable. As long as he wasn't targeted by the black scale monsters or caught in a relentless onslaught, he should emerge unscathed. The only concern was his mental state.
Just as they conversed, the bald boss, who had been eagerly waiting for an opportunity, finally seized his chance and interjected, "Indeed, brother, Lin... Brother Lin Mo will surely turn his luck around..."
In truth, the bald boss had only just remembered Lin Mo's name and knew very little about him. But he saw this as his chance to make his presence known, and his two subordinates eagerly nodded in agreement, lacking anything substantial to contribute. They simply bobbed their heads like nodding garlic bulbs.
Su Chen only noticed their presence now, feeling slightly bewildered. Before he could utter a word, another voice rang out from the opposite direction.
It was Professor Chen, accompanied by a few researchers, rushing over with an air of urgency.
Professor Chen couldn't contain his curiosity about Su Chen's peculiar dark energy equipment. The short respite allowed him little time to ponder, and he couldn't wait any longer.
Upon seeing Professor Chen and his team approaching, the bald boss felt a pang of bitterness—despite his prolonged flattery and his struggle to insert a single word, it seemed that Chen's timely arrival would overshadow him once again. He would have to seize another opportunity in the future.
These were trying times indeed!
Noticing Professor Chen's arrival, Su Chen turned his gaze towards the bald boss and spoke first, "In that case, why don't you rest on the other side for now? Xia Chuwei, I don't think the group of survivors will easily let go of someone who has a certain connection with me. Stay with these three instead!"
The bald boss's emotions were akin to a roller coaster ride, plummeting one moment and soaring the next. Su Chen's words pulled him back from the depths of despair to the heights of hope.
"Doesn't this mean they're treating us as their saviors?" Xia Chuwei muttered before she could stop herself.
The bald boss, trembling with excitement, patted his bald head and declared, "Brother, don't worry. Miss Xia will be in good hands with us!"
Su Chen cast a glance at him, silently acknowledging his words.
Xia Chuwei rubbed her nose and grumbled, "This feels like the beginning of a cheesy TV drama..."
The bald boss, hearing her remark, grew nervous and waved his hands frantically, his face pale. "No, of course not... I didn't mean that..."
Xia Chuwei understood that Su Chen and Professor Chen had matters to discuss, and she also knew that the bald boss couldn't do anything to harm them. She muttered under her breath and quickly followed the bald boss and the others, her curiosity piqued.
When Professor Chen approached Su Chen, he wisely chose not to reveal his intentions right away. Instead, he initiated the conversation by addressing something that interested Su Chen. "Let me introduce myself formally. I am Chen Yinian from the Yuanliao Dark Energy Space Research Institute. You might know some things that I don't, but I have extensively studied the energy forms of those monsters and their peculiar reverence for evil gods."
Cthulhu... Does it truly exist? And if it does, is it a powerful extraterrestrial being or an actual deity?
There were also the matters of their own abilities and talents...
Su Chen had yet to fully comprehend the intricacies of the Anovaar ring, the black energy, and the like. He continued to experiment with the energy unit and the Anovaar ring, but after more than ten days of trial and error, he hadn't made any significant breakthroughs. He needed a method that went beyond mere utilization and had a solid theoretical foundation. If Professor Chen was an expert in this field, studying the enigmatic dark energy could greatly assist Su Chen.
The failed attempt to halt the sacrificial ceremony had only worsened the situation. Su Chen wanted to seize every moment to advance to the second level. If the opportunity arose, he would also enhance his suit and improve his abilities within a short span of time.
Currently, the monsters were in retreat, and the situation was peculiar, but at least they were temporarily safe. Su Chen didn't rush to engage in conversation with Professor Chen. Instead, he prioritized repairing his suit, creating new equipment, and utilizing this brief respite to restore his combat prowess.
Therefore, Su Chen stated firmly, "I'm not in a hurry right now. I have other pressing matters to attend to. I'll seek you out when I return."
Despite Su Chen's direct response, Professor Chen hesitated and didn't leave immediately.
"What's the matter? Is there something you want to discuss?" Su Chen inquired, sensing the professor's lingering presence.
"Well, I'm curious. Are these unique devices within your body a result of some extraordinary talent? If you're busy at the moment, could you provide me with a similar creation for study and research?" Professor Chen asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Su Chen furrowed his brow slightly. Professor Chen had all his focus on this matter. While it wasn't surprising, Su Chen neither confirmed nor denied anything. He maintained his composure, feeling no obligation to explain or answer such questions. After all, he wasn't likely to be detained by the military for interrogation before the end of the world.
However, Su Chen had no intention of outright rejecting Professor Chen's request. Given that Professor Chen was an expert in this field, studying Su Chen's magically modified items could potentially shed light on his own abilities. But Professor Chen's interest seemed to lie solely in the magical modifications and the suspected abilities they possessed, not in Su Chen as an individual, let alone as a friend or someone to trust.
Therefore, Su Chen didn't want to reveal too much. After a moment of contemplation, he retrieved the black glass, which he had transformed from a regular glass, from his backpack and handed it to Professor Chen, saying, "The nature of this object is closely related to my own usage. You can study it, but I need to be kept informed and have access to the data."
Although the glass water cup had lost its effectiveness after numerous uses, the state of the magical modification remained unchanged. It seemed that its only flaw was the material and its limited durability. In other words, it might be "fragile."
This item held no value to Su Chen and wouldn't expose too much. It was a suitable object to study magical transformation abilities. If Professor Chen's research proved useful, Su Chen would consider the next steps.
Professor Chen was both shocked and delighted. He never expected that this peculiar dark energy technology equipment would contain objects that resembled living entities. If they were truly created through personal abilities, it meant boundless possibilities. As Professor Chen pondered these prospects, his gaze towards Su Chen became filled with fervor.
Su Chen felt a tinge of discomfort. Professor Chen's gaze resembled that of Nobita's when he looked at Doraemon. Despite the professor's conjectures, Su Chen had no intention of providing any explanations. He was a formidable member of the team now, and no one had the authority to force him to divulge anything.
Professor Chen swiftly took hold of the water glass, treating it as a cherished artifact. He caressed it gently and exclaimed in astonishment, "This item can be transformed by the power of darkness..."
At that moment, Professor Chen seemed to recall something and clutched the water glass tightly, fearing that Su Chen might have a change of heart. Nervously, he added, "Don't worry, I will share all the data and findings with you, without a doubt!"