"Eh? Communicating with Yodao?" Ale repeated with a shocked expression.
"Yes," Anmu's tone remained firm.
Ale's curiosity grew, "Will they be involved in today's operation?"
"No. They have long since ceased these types of missions. Moreover, since the decline of Yodao, most members of the Daïlu family have left Dotta."
"I see..." Ale sounded a bit disappointed, but his curiosity hadn't faded, "What about the replicants? Can they communicate with Yodao too?"
Anmu rubbed his temples thoughtfully before continuing, "The Daïlu family has always been opposed to the development of replicants. Back then, they had significant influence in Golden Harbor and were probably concerned about their own position... Of course, that's more speculation. But indisputably, the Daïlu ceased sharing data related to Yodao with the Ecological Security and Order Bureau, let alone helping in development."
Ale pursued further, "So, did the replicant development continue afterward?"
"The fate of the replicant project," Anmu said, his voice tinged with a hint of gravity, "is probably closely linked to the Winter Yuday festival accident two years ago."
Ale hesitated, trying to recall, "I remember... the incident report mentioned... the head of the ätMan company..."
"That's right. After that tragedy, the ätMan company was acquired, and all related development plans were halted. The replicants that were in development are likely sealed in underground storage now."
Listening to this, Ale looked downcast and muttered softly, "I wish I could see them in person..."
Anmu noticed two unit Robots approaching them slowly, each holding a heavy protective suit.
His gaze shifted from the robots to Ale and interrupted his forlorn thoughts, "Put that aside for now. Have you finished reading about the infected creature?"
Ale quickly adjusted his mood and replied, "Yes! I have! The infected creature is called Helix Shell, a common herbivorous marine organism usually found in the deep sea and typically avoids human settlements. As for its infection route, it's not very clear yet. But according to Helix analysis, it might be due to the sea beginning to freeze, causing it to get infected and lose its way into the East Coast Bay."
Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "It sounds gentle in nature. Do we need to take any precautions?"
"Beaching, self-harm," Anmu explained while taking the protective suit from the robot, "Any abnormal behavior triggered by infection poses a risk. Although it's unlikely, if it harms itself, the infection could spread."
"Spread?" Ale looked around, feeling somewhat relieved, "Luckily, there's no one else around us now."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly fell silent, realizing something.
"Nervous?" Anmu noticed Ale standing rigidly and asked.
Ale shook his head, trying to steady his emotions: "No, I'm not nervous!" Despite his words, his body involuntarily shivered.
"If you have any concerns, you can stay outside the quarantine zone with them," Anmu casually pointed towards the patrolling unit Robots nearby.
Can I really do that? Ale hesitated for a moment, feeling conflicted inside. When he looked up at Anmu, he met the latter's piercing, hawk-like gaze.
"No concerns," he responded instinctively.
"Good. Take the protective suit, we're about to go in," Anmu said calmly. He then took out a white petal-shaped candy wrapped in a thin film from his pocket and handed it to Ale, "This is to prevent emotional fluctuations. If you feel uncomfortable after exposure, remember to take this to stabilize your mood. After that, it's just about getting an injection and enduring a few days of insomnia. Don't worry too much."
Watching Ale take the candy, Anmu felt the slight chill from his fingertips, revealing an almost imperceptible concern.
Relying on his past experience, no.
Anmu's heart tightened, and he repeatedly kneaded the blank sugar sheet in his hand as if trying to extinguish the inexplicable anxiety swirling in his chest.
According to the Cyclops system's recommendations for handling the situation, this operation plan is undoubtedly accurate.
"Let's go," Anmu said in a deep voice.
As they approached, the quarantine zone's gel crystal walls began to react. A ring of light flowed along their body contours, spreading gradually. The originally translucent walls slowly darkened, transforming into a completely opaque state, engulfing their silhouettes until only the edge of light remained behind them.
Nearby, on a mound of sand, two orange-pink crabs pushed out a pool of black sand. They emerged, waving their claws and rubbing their stalk eyes, following the direction of the duo's footsteps, slowly crawling after them.
A gap tore through the overcast sky, allowing a sliver of light to bathe the white rocks along the shore in a golden glow.
Nestled among the scattered rocks, a young woman lay serenely, basking in the warm ephemeral sunlight.
Despite the tumultuous waves crashing against the rocks with a thunderous roar, a slight smile played on her lips, as if she was in a world apart from the surrounding turmoil.
Her eyes were half-closed, her dark bangs covering the left side of her face, falling to her ears. Her slightly curly hair lazily draped over her shoulders, gently rising and falling with each breath, radiating ease and comfort. A layer of gray-white biofilm wrapped around her body, accentuating her vibrant figure. Her left index and middle fingers tapped rhythmically on her knee, seemingly in sync with the waves. The beaded bracelet on her wrist swirled with red liquid, dancing with her movements.
Suddenly, her fingertips paused. "Is it time?" she whispered to the air.
The waves surged high against the jagged rocks, casting a spray of white foam into the air.
The woman gracefully stood up, stretching her back. After a brief respite, she felt as if every cell in her body was revitalized, a sense of joy permeating her being. She stepped lightly on the rough rocks with her bare feet, gracefully leaping towards the edge of the rocks.
The sea breeze caressed her long hair and brushed against her slightly flushed cheeks. She stood there, still as a seabird facing the wind.
As the last ray of the sunset left her face, she slowly opened her eyes.
Her right eye was as clear and profound as a black pearl, while in her left eye, the darkness faded to reveal an icy indigo color. Golden specks twinkled within, reminiscent of the dying embers of a fire stirring in the night sky. In an instant, even the warmth of her smile seemed overshadowed by the intensity emanating from her left eye.
From these eyes, both righteous and sinister, emanated an irresistible, enigmatic allure.
She skillfully braided her hair and tossed it back over her head, then tapped her wrist twice. Two faint lines of light glided from her neck and ankles, transforming the gray-white biofilm enveloping her body into a shade of ocean blue.
Gazing at the swirling water beneath the rocks, she took a light leap and dove in.
As her world turned upside down, she glimpsed a little girl in a white dress running towards the rocks, a vague dark shadow trailing behind her...
The splash of her dive echoed briefly, and then she vanished into the water.
All of this happened so quickly that no one on the shore noticed her presence or disappearance, nor did they see the little girl and the shadow behind her.
Because it had appeared.
Among the rolling waves, a figure shimmering with silvery light gradually became distinct, drawing the attention of the crowd on the shore.
Gliding through the waves, it moved silently, following the guidance of the Helix sonar towards the quarantine zone, eventually disappearing from view.
·
Anmu focused intently on the interior of the Cyclops system's crystalline barrier.
The massive creature known as the "GenShell" lay sprawled on the sand. Its skin shimmered with a pearly white luster, its surface appearing weathered like a giant conch shell but was actually covered with a layer of smooth, wax-like scales. Its head housed a giant eye socket, embedded with a deep grey, glassy pupil. If not for this distinct feature, it could easily be mistaken for an oversized teardrop snail.
From its chest, abdomen, and dorsal ridge began to extend numerous branch-like structures. Varying in length, each limb was dotted with growths resembling tree burls. Several thick appendages deeply embedded in the sand slowly elevated the GenShell's head and bulky body to nearly three meters high. The other limbs twisted and swayed in the air, seemingly sensing the surrounding environment.
Anmu noticed the amber-colored pouch on the creature's belly was empty, devoid of egg sacs. It indicated that this female GenShell hadn't entered the breeding season, a somewhat positive sign. Its blunt head hung low, its chaotic whiskers obscuring its wide mouth.
As the effects of the temporary medication injected earlier by Helix analysis began to wane, the calm grey single eye of the creature suddenly bloomed with large swathes of purple vine-like patterns – resembling a bewitching flower blossoming from within the pupil.
This was a typical symptom of the On-2 type infection.