"---"
"It's really not working, his chest is almost charred from the electricity."
"---"
"Don't worry about it so much, keep treating him."
"---"
"How is her girlfriend?"
"She has already been transferred to a regular ward."
"--- Drip ---"
"Did your instrument just make a sound?"
"--- Drip --- Drip ---"
Xing Chen's consciousness gradually returned. Although he couldn't open his eyes, the strong smell of disinfectant and the quiet hum of the instruments reminded him that he seemed to have been sent to a rather unpleasant place.
One second ago, he felt like he was still chatting with Skadi, and then the next second, he was ejected without any warning.
The good thing compared to last time was that his body didn't have any major problems, it was just that he couldn't see—
It didn't seem like he couldn't see; he could feel a blurry bright spot in the distance.
"I should be in a hospital, right?" Xing Chen thought. "There should be many people nearby, so why is there only that one spot in my field of vision?"
Meanwhile, the doctor responsible for Xing Chen's emergency treatment, seeing that his vital signs were all stable, prepared to hand him over to the other nurses.
Suddenly, his lab coat was grabbed by Xing Chen. Just as he was about to pull away, he found that Xing Chen's strength was astonishing, completely unlike someone who had just walked back from the brink of death.
"Hello, are you a doctor?"
"I am," the doctor turned his head and saw that Xing Chen's eyes were starting to bleed, "Don't move, your eyes are bleeding, I'll wipe them for you."
"I'm fine, where is my luggage? The things inside are very important."
"Your luggage? The State Security took it."
"State Security?"
Xing Chen was stunned. He had indeed signed a non-disclosure agreement, but that was just a common contract for scientific research. How did it alarm the people from the state?
"Yes, State Security. I saw their IDs. Brother, let me tell you something from the heart, don't just do whatever your advisor tells you, or you won't even know when you've been tricked."
Xing Chen didn't reply. His advisor was quite good to him, but there were indeed many advisors who were not good people, so the doctor's words were not wrong.
Just then, his phone rang. The doctor helped him bring the phone in, reminding him to be quiet so as not to disturb the patient next door.
"Hello? Xing Chen?"
"Advisor?"
"What did you do? How did you end up in the ICU?"
"I don't know, I just slept in the berth, and when I woke up, I was in a hospital bed."
"Alright, judging by how you're answering the phone, you should be fine. Is there anything you need my help with?"
Xing Chen was about to refuse, but then he suddenly realized he was in the ICU, and he had been there for quite some time.
Xing Chen had never experienced how expensive the ICU was before, but he was mentally prepared for it.
He even had a plan: if one day it really came to the point where he had to go in, he might as well just die, at least he could save his family some money.
"Advisor, can you lend me some money? The money I have might not be enough to pay for the medical expenses..."
The feeling of owing money was not good. His family was not wealthy, but paying for medical expenses was still acceptable. But he didn't feel comfortable asking his family for money. The money was secondary; if he made his family worry, he might have to be watched by them for the rest of his life.
"Don't worry about that, I just applied for a large—a large sum of research funds, and it will be transferred to your card shortly. Besides that, is there anything else?"
"Uh, no."
As soon as Xing Chen finished speaking, his advisor hung up the phone. Suddenly, he felt several gazes focused on him.
There was nothing he could do about it; he was lucky to have someone cover his expenses. Those whose families had no money and encountered accidents, it was good they didn't tear him apart.
"Your advisor is really good," the doctor's voice came from beside him, seemingly filled with jealousy. "Alright, relax, I'll check your pupils. If everything's fine, I'll transfer you to a regular ward. The beds here are quite tight."
His eyelids were forcibly pried open, and bright light streamed in. The doctor looked around without speaking.
He wondered if there was something he hadn't learned properly; this person's pupil dilation was no different from a dead person's, and there was no reaction to strong light.
But looking at Xing Chen's lively appearance... he couldn't possibly be a living dead person, could he?
"Doctor, how am I doing?"
"Uh, you're doing well, I'll transfer you to a different ward first."
And so, Xing Chen, wrapped in various complex emotions, was sent back to a regular ward.
"Xing Chen!"
As soon as he returned to the ward, Theresa pounced on him.
According to the doctor, Xing Chen and Theresa should have fainted on the train at the same time. When the train police notified passengers individually upon arrival, they found that the two were not in a good state and sent them to the hospital.
Theresa hadn't even been pushed into the ICU when she jumped off the stretcher and was then arranged into a regular ward for observation.
"Did you see the State Security person?"
"I did, he even brought both our luggage over." Theresa moved all the luggage in front of Xing Chen, only then realizing that he couldn't see for the time being.
"Are all the things inside?" Xing Chen asked from one side, while Theresa checked from the other, confirming that the computer, paper articles, and device were all fine.
If any of these things were missing, not only would he be unable to cope with the academic conference, but his troubles would be immense.
Originium is different from other minerals; it can proliferate on its own. Once it leaks out, controlling it is almost impossible.
He wanted to ensure this power remained in his hands.
Suddenly, Xing Chen remembered something and began to quickly search himself.
"What are you looking for?" Theresa asked curiously.
"The Seaborn Hunter's blood sample, is it with you?"
Theresa also began to search herself, also finding nothing.
"You quickly go ask the doctor, that thing can't be misplaced."
Theresa immediately set off. At first, she wanted to find the State Security person, but he had left after confirming that she and Xing Chen were not in life-threatening danger.
Afterward, she rushed to the emergency room, startling everyone on the way.
"I only saw her being pushed into the ICU this morning, and now she's bouncing around."
"Don't even mention it, my loved one still doesn't know when he'll wake up."
After running to an unknown number of places, Theresa finally found the lost blood sample in a certain trash can.
The Originium acting as a container was not damaged, and the blood inside also seemed unchanged. Both of them breathed a slight sigh of relief.
As for Originium, Xing Chen could bring it over with peace of mind. Humans wouldn't be infected by Originium anyway, and the Originium brought over would lose its activity due to changes in the information environment.
But he had to be vigilant about terrestrial biological products. Pure biotechnology, who knew if it would infect humans? It was better to be careful.
If a Seaborn war broke out and wasn't immediately suppressed, after evolution, it would be 100% doomed.
