CHAPTER 115: CHAPTER 115: LITTLE NIBIGA

After waking up, Ruan Li wandered around the research institute, feeling no physical discomfort except for occasional palpitations in her chest.

She stood at the only exit of the research institute, looking outside.

Beyond the open door were flowers and green grass, blue water and sky. It was a completely natural ecological scene, different from the forests and mountains of M Star. Here, one could see the horizon at a glance, animals idly dazing on the grassland, birds resting on tree branches, and a spotless azure sky.

She walked outside, but suddenly kicked something with her foot.

"Eek!"

The little thing gave a strange cry.

Ruan Li looked down and saw it was a robot the size of a nose tip.

How could there be such a small robot?

The small robot cradled its wing that had been damaged from the kick, buzzing as it began to cry, "You owe me a wing! Give me a wing!"

It was the first time Ruan Li had encountered a robot playing the victim role. She squatted down and poked the robot the size of a nose tip, "What are you?"

"You’re the thing!"

Though small, its temper was big.

Honestly, for a robot, its emotions seemed a bit too intelligent.

The small robot looked up at this giant, its blue eyes filled with tears, its features no different from a real person, "You owe me a wing!"

Ruan Li picked it up and saw the tiny parts scattered on the ground, "I know someone who can repair it. I’ll take you to him in a bit."

The small robot was grumpy but seeing that she was reasonable, it stopped being angry.

It then remembered the main matter, "You owe me a wing first, you’re a female, save my master first."

Ruan Li heard its blunt command and asked, "Who is your master? I have nothing to do with him, why should I help him?"

The small robot stomped in her image with some frustration, "Kind female, please help my master."

It learned to soften up just like that.

Before leaving, Ruan Li looked up at the surveillance at the door, seeing the flashing red light, and then turned and left under the guidance of the small nose tip robot.

Seeing this, Xu Mo followed her without hesitation as she left.

Under the small nose tip robot’s directions, Ruan Li walked southwest, stopping in front of a cave about an hour later.

Seeing the destination reached, the small nose tip robot immediately abandoned this temporary transport, leaping from her palm with a slap to the ground.

Fortunately, the metal material was sturdy enough. The small nose tip quickly climbed up, pattered into the cave.

A Beastman inside the cave suddenly spoke, "Little Li?!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Ruan Li walked into the cave and found the Beastman leaning inside was indeed Lu Mujie.

His condition was not great now, with his white shirt stained with blood, a black and bleeding wound on his shoulder, and an even more terrifying wound on his abdomen. His originally pale face was even more so now.

"Lu Mujie, why are you here?"

Lu Mujie tugged at the corner of his mouth, "After you went missing, we searched frantically for you as if we had lost our minds. We searched almost every planet of the Empire, but now Ferocious Beast Tides are erupting on various small planets, extremely dangerous, requiring my big brother to lead troops to protect citizens, leaving us to continue searching for you."

"Ruan Ying’s research institute is nearby."

His tone was without any hesitation.

Ruan Li nodded, knowing that Shi Jue and the others likely told the three brothers about the past events. Given this, it meant they were reliable. She told about her experiences over the past few days in a vague manner, her expression calm.

Hearing her experiences, Lu Mujie raised his hand to stroke her head, "Alright, brother will take you home."

Ruan Li nodded, her vision slightly blurred. She lowered her head and lightly touched his abdomen with her palm, "Let me heal you first."

A rich pink Healing Power flowed from her palm, covering Lu Mujie’s wound.

New flesh adhered to the wound, the pollution in the dead, black, viscous blood was purified, turning back to a fresh red. A piercing itch spread from the growing wound, Lu Mujie grunted, his pale face gradually regaining color.

His dark eyes stared unwaveringly at Ruan Li, deep in his gaze. It was only after the healing ended that he spoke slowly, "Little Li, don’t you think your healing ability has improved again?"

Prompted by him, Ruan Li closed her eyes to feel the Life Force within her body.

In a space like the deep void, what was once only the size of a watermelon had now grown almost as tall as her, and even the color was more vivid.

She reached out to touch the pink mass, seeing it reshape into form at a visible speed. The humanoid outline gradually emerged, and Ruan Li carefully discerned that the shape was almost the same as hers.

It also stretched out its hand, touching a fingertip to Ruan Li’s.

[I am you]

"Are you talking to me?" Ruan Li asked in surprise.

[I will protect you, becoming your safest shield and fiercest spear.]

It walked towards Ruan Li, embracing her with open arms.

Ruan Li opened her mouth in surprise, feeling an unprecedented warmth and gentleness in her chest.

[Forget hatred, forget anger]

It held Ruan Li tightly, finally merging completely into her body.

When Ruan Li opened her eyes, she found herself still maintaining the posture of lifting her hand in an embrace.

Seeing her strange movement, Lu Mujie asked, "Little Li, what happened?"

Ruan Li met his concerned gaze, shaking her head, "I’m not sure, but something indeed feels different. I need to confirm what exactly happened."

She touched her chest, only feeling the original rage and irritation retreat like the tide.

Her mind flashed with Xu Mo’s behavior in the arena.

Raising his blade against her, time and time again...

But now, with her emotions stabilized, recalling carefully, she noticed the strangeness at the time. Yet, then, the pain in her body was overwhelming, like magma breaking through every vein, making her emotions turbulent, unable to discern, only feeling Xu Mo and Ruan Ying’s collusion, betrayal.

But every strike of his in the arena at the time clearly lacked intent to kill.

"Just a bit more...?"

She repeatedly mulled over a strange phrase she heard at the time.

Seeing Ruan Li’s strange expression, seemingly deep in thought, Lu Mujie did not disturb her, only quietly sitting and resting where he was.

The small robot climbed onto his leg laboriously, beginning to complain, "Master, she broke my wing, boo hoo, you need to calculate my work injury."

With his fingers, Lu Mujie measured the broken mechanical wing on its back, "Alright, I’ll replace it with a new one when we get back."

The small nose tip wiped its non-existent tears, contentedly climbing onto his shoulder, carefully, "Master, is your injury really healed? Was it her who healed you?"

Lu Mujie nodded its head, shushing it.

Seeing Ruan Li’s deeply furrowed brow, he asked, "Is there something bothering you? You can talk about it, and perhaps I can offer some ideas."