NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Sea Without Light Part 43
The exoskeleton armor of the Scythe Demon was exceedingly resilient; bullets ricocheted off it, sparking furiously. The most vulnerable part of its body was the tendril connecting to the curved blade.
It had two bone blades; rendering one useless would significantly decrease its danger. At present, one of its blades had already been severed by Kui Xin.
Kui Xin half-crouched on the ground, her gun leveled through the night vision goggles. She clearly saw the maniacal look in the Scythe Demon’s eyes, and this was her moment to strike.
However, as Kui Xin adjusted her aim, the Scythe Demon swung both bone blades towards her in the same instant.
She had two choices—abandon shooting and roll to dodge, or continue aiming at the remaining tendril and attempt to sever it with bullets.
“Bang—”
A gunshot echoed, sparks bursting from the muzzle.
Kui Xin did not opt to dodge!
She cleared her mind, no longer concerned with external things. Fear and panic were pulled out of her body, adrenaline surged, and her temples throbbed violently.
Kui Xin’s vision turned crimson, and her action of pulling the trigger signified her unwavering determination.
Just like during static target shooting training in the underground training range of the Investigation Building, she maintained absolute focus and aimed directly for the shot. When she reached a point of utmost concentration, everything around her seemed to slow down.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Gunfire erupted in rapid succession! After the first shot, Kui Xin didn’t stop but continued to fire, four bullets aligning perfectly in her control, forming almost error-free straight trajectories. Due to the rapid and dense nature of her shots, all four sounded nearly continuous.
The best precision sniper of the Investigation Bureau could shoot six rounds per second in static conditions. Kui Xin had very little time to adjust, but she managed four rounds within a second! The tracks of the four bullets were impeccably precise.
These bullets struck accurately at the Scythe Demon’s tendril.
One bullet made contact, causing the bone blade hurtling towards Kui Xin to slightly veer off course.
Then immediately, the subsequent three bullets penetrated sequentially, drilling into the initial bullet’s entry point. The bullets shattered into fragments due to the repeated impacts, slicing through the Scythe Demon’s tendril.
“Whoosh!” The bone blade grazed Kui Xin’s shoulder narrowly, then fell to the ground.
The Xenomorph creature cried shrilly in pain as blue-green blood gushed out from the severed tendril, causing steam to rise from the ground covered in blood. The strong stench of blood made people nauseous.
The Scythe Demon writhed and crawled up awkwardly, using its hind legs like a mantis to flee.
Lan Lan aimed her gun to impede the Scythe Demon, and Jiang Ming kicked apart nearby triangular stacks of steel bars, causing them to fall noisily and pin the creature down heavily under their weight, preventing it from escaping. It howled continuously, attempting to break free and was almost about to climb out from beneath the steel bars.
In that instant, before it could escape, a dagger pierced through the joint of its exoskeleton from the back of its head to its body, striking its vulnerable inner flesh.
The Scythe Demon’s body stiffened and then went limp.
It was dead.
Kui Xin did not draw out the dagger lest more blue-green blood should spray on her.
She took a few steps back, exhausted, sitting on the ground. Half of her limbs felt numb. A sensation akin to ant bites filled her half-body, as if the Scythe Demon’s blood corroded her very flesh, healing yet burning anew, leaving her skin broken.
“Water! Where’s a bucket? Damn it! A bucket!” Lan Lan was soaked in sweat, running around in circles searching for a water bucket.
Jiang Ming finally found one container with relief, “I got it, I’m going to fetch water!”
He ran hurriedly with a bucket in the dark, filled it with seawater and splashed it on Kui Xin to rinse away the Scythe Demon’s blood.
But the blood was tenacious. Only a tiny amount came off after a bucketful was poured over.
When touched, clumps of flesh and blood peeled off her skin.
The hover car halted on the empty lot. Xueyao Shu stepped out, strides long.
“Water won’t work. We have to go back to headquarters. We need special solution to wash off the Xenomorphs’ blood.” He put on gloves, picked her up gently, and placed her in the back seat of the patrol car.
“You’ll be fine, Kui Xin,” Lan Lan also entered the backseat.
Jiang Ming’s lips compressed tightly, “Does the coastal security office have the solution?”
“I just checked. There are five spare vials left.” Liu Kangyun said after hanging up the communicator, “We’ll return to the sea security office first and grab the five vials. We can clean Kui Xin’s wounds inside the car on the way back. Once at headquarters, we’ll transfer her into the solution tank.”
“Five vials aren’t nearly enough!” Lan Lan’s face turned grim, “The affected area is huge, nearly half her body!”
Xueyao Shu silenced, started the hover car, and raced toward the coast security office.
“… You guys act like I’m about to die,” Kui Xin lay weakly in the car, “It’s not a big deal. If it’s serious enough, maybe replace my arm with a machina. It’s not like I wouldn’t survive. I have options for scarring. There’s no need for surgery at all. With flesh regeneration, washing off the Xenomorph’s blood takes only minutes, and my body will heal.”
“You’re very optimistic,” Lan Lan twisted in pain, rummaging through the medical kit.
Being contaminated by Scythe Demon’s blood only required a couple of minutes to corrode the bone.
Replacing parts of her body with machinery was indeed good, but the problem was she was contaminated too thoroughly! Everyone in the Seventh Squad feared Kui Xin couldn’t hold on until they returned to headquarters.
Lan Lan first retrieved surgical clips, resembling staplers, which were used temporarily to stop bleeding by clamping together ruptured wounds. He cut open the combat suit and secured the clips onto the abdominal lacerations.
“Great… Despite the amount of blood, it’s really just surface trauma,” he breathed a sigh of relief.
Kui Xin: Ah, if you sewed up the wound a bit later, it would’ve healed by itself.
Actually, the original wound exposed internal organs and intestines, where a hand could reach inside.
“Talk, stay awake,” Jiang Ming, sitting in front, leaned back sternly inquiring, “Lan Lan, give her an analgesic, do you have a curative agent? Insert it, can help her last longer.”
Lan Lan extracted a syringe, injected an analgesic expertly after mixing them. Then snapped another bottle open and administered a curative agent.
The血腥 smell inside the car intensified; Kui Xin’s wounds were still oozing blood relentlessly.
“Do you still feel pain?” Lan Lan anxiously asked.
“Pain… Did the anesthetic expire? Is there regular inspection of supplies?” Kui Xin clenched her teeth, watching the car roof blankly.
“Checked yesterday,” Xueyao Shu said.
The patrol car stopped; several colleagues were waiting in the parking lot. Supplies and medicines were passed in eagerly.
After receiving the treatment fluid, Xueyao Shu immediately ascended, flying swiftly towards the Investigation Office.
Lan Lan trembled with urgency, pouring the fluid onto gauze to clean Kui Xin’s body. The blue-green blood reacted, washing off effortlessly.
He dared not apply too much pressure, lest more of Kui Xin’s flesh should come off.
Ten minutes later, a pile of used gauze was discarded in the backseat.
“Do you… want a rest now? I suddenly feel much better, the pain has lessened,” Kui Xin noticed beads of sweat on Lan Lan’s forehead.
Lan Lan doubted Kui Xin, amused, “Cut the crap, when you’ve been talking like you’re much better?”
Stunned, he looked at her wounds, which changed colors from vivid red to pale pink, new skin growing.
“Oh my God!” Lan Lan was bewildered, “Captain, does the research institute have some kind of new curative agent? This effect is amazing!”
Xueyao Shu: “… How so? It is still the old version. New models haven’t been released yet.”
“What’s going on here?” Lan Lan stared in disbelief.
Erasing the blood stain from Kui Xin’s abdomen, he saw that her wound had nearly healed with a single line of blood remaining.
Her eyes wandered over her injuries, and unable to resist, he touched the shoulder wound ravaged by Scythe Demon’s blood. The pale pink skin had regenerated perfectly, unmarkable.
Kui Xin: “This seems creepy, Lan Lan.”
“My apologies,” Lan Lan looked strangely at her, “Why don’t you check it yourself?”
Assisting her to rise, Kui Xin glanced at her abdomen showing the same surprised expression: “Oh my!”
She reached out to touch her abdomen, her eyes popping wide.
Jiang Ming leaned toward Kui Xin from his seat: “What happened? Holy—”
The honest person Liu Kangyun puzzledly turned his head to see, and unable to contain himself, he uttered softly: “Holy…”
Driver Xueyao Shu: “???”
“Is it Extraordinary Ability?” Lan Lan exclaimed, “Strength and self-healing Extraordinary Ability?”
“Seems so,” Jiang Ming replied, “Such abilities show up mostly in Heterogeneous Blooded. But there are known cases in Awakened individuals too.”
“Very common in strength, but rare in self-healing,” Liu Kangyun declared solemnly.
“Did Kui Xin awaken?” Xueyao Shu inferred from their remarks.
“Appears so. Her wounds healed incredibly fast,” Lan La relaxed, wiping his forehead of imaginary sweat, “She made it. What a lucky person.”
An atmosphere of relief washed over the car. Jiang Ming smiled, “Congratulations, Kui Xin.”
“Don’t slack off, Lan Lan, we need to clean the blood off her leg,” Liu Kangyun advised.
“We ran out of bandages,” Lan Lan stated, “Can’t help it, just pour the solution.”
He opened the final vials, pouring it over Kui Xin’s wounds.
“Bleeeah…” Kui Xin winced.
In pain even with the treatment, her complexion pale and fists clenched, she was in agony. The painkillers barely worked, and the relief was short-lived.
“It was my worst injury,” Kui Xin said weakly, “Getting shot in the head wasn’t so bad.”
“Actually, I was thinking about my will…” Kui Xin said.
“You should say. August will record it, and you should handle property distribution,” Lan Lan offered, “Most colleagues make a will upon joining. Security work is dangerous; you never know when you might pass.”
“I don’t have much to divide. I owe student loans and have few belongings. My house is all I own. Legal inheritance also brings debt…” Kui Xin sighed, “So, I was pondering what to include in my will.”
…
“Luckily, your Awakening status will soon be recognized,” Xueyao Shu reassured Kui Xin, “Awakeners receive similar benefits to squad leaders. You’ll soon be treated equally.”
“That’s amazing. Thanks captain!” Kui Xin brightened.
The patrol car descended. The rear door clunked open. Doctor Huang stood by, ready to assist.
Doctor Huang urged, “Hurry! Bring her to the stretcher for treatment!”
An assisting nurse moved slowly, so Doctor Huang personally lifted Kui Xin onto the wheeled bed and rushed her inside with the team at a sprint.
“Hold on! Kui Xin Awakened. No major concerns!” Lan Lan warned, but the lift doors closed shut.
Liu Kangyun remarked, “As careful as always, Doctor Huang.”
Jiang Ming nodding in agreement, “He’s voted an excellent employee year after year. Well deserved.”
Doctor Huang fitted Kui Xin with an oxygen mask. “Breathe deeply. Hang on, we’ll give you surgery once we wash away the bio-blood. They mention the other side full of bio-blood. We need to prepare you for a prosthetic replacement. What?! Lied to me? Your wounds aren’t that severe!”
“He’s sweating,” Kui Xin noted amidst the flurry of activity.
Doctor Huang mopped his forehead anxiously, “Frightened me half-to-death!”
“My teammates think I’ve possibly awakened an Extraordinary Ability,” Kui Xin explained to Doctor Huang.
Doctor Huang paused, emotions wavering before his joy bubbled forth, “Good news! Congratulations, Kui Xin.”
“Helped a bit first, needed to soak off the rest with the solution,” Kui Xin commented.
“Much easier now. Come, let’s move to the illuminated room,” Doctor Huang gestured her forward.
Nurses carried Kui Xin into a horizontal glass tank. She closed her eyes, breathing through the oxygen mask, feeling encapsulated.
Blue-green residue on her skin dissolved silently, and the regeneration powers began, repairing her wounded body.
Doctor Huang muttered admirations, “Unbelievable! Such resilience! You truly have luck.”
Blotting his eyes with a handkerchief from his lab coat pocket, “Always reluctant for lost young lives. Despite years in practice, I still struggle with accepting it… Kui Xin, you are truly fortunate. May your future bring you such fortune.”
…
Once bathed in the solution, Kui Xin didn’t require surgery. Doctor Huang checked her over briefly.
“Observation for a while before settling. Can sleep now,” he concluded, escorting her to a hospital bed.
Kui Xin wore a gown, lying down. Her cheeks and body looked restored, scarless.
She, as a patient, rested peacefully tonight, her wounds healing.
Exhaustion overcame her like a tide, and she fell asleep in an instant.
Next morning, Kui Xin woke naturally.
The artificial light in her room gradually brightened, transitioning smoothly, avoiding any glaring impact.
“August, do you need refreshments? I can deliver to your room,” the AI assistant inquired.
“Sure,” Kui Xin rose from the bed.
“The nutritional porridge would be ideal. Increasing protein intake is beneficial. I can provide menu options,” August suggested.
“I’m not sure what to eat. Choose for me, August,” Kui Xin yawned, “Surprises are great.”
August hesitated briefly before responding, “No problem, I’ll randomly select dishes. I hope you enjoy the surprise.”
Kui Xin proceeded to the washroom. Moments later, an automated meal cart arrived at her room. The porridge was perfectly warm, eggs cooked to golden softness, bacon crispy and bacon fresh, toast toasted to perfection.
She ate, checking the time — it was only 7:30 AM. Ready for her new workday ahead.
“Security Officer Kui Xin, Chief Investigator Jiang Meimei wishes to review your Awakening status shortly,” August informed her.
Here it comes… Kui Xin’s heart sank.
“No problem,” she responded.
“Then please report to Room 4069 on the fourth floor at 8:10 AM. She will be waiting there. Have a wonderful day,” August added.