Secret of Floor B02

At this moment, Fang Qi...

was already standing at the end of the underground passage.

He looked at the metal blast door in front of him, slightly dazed.

...Huh?

The silver-gray metal surface gleamed with a cold light, and the door was seamlessly embedded into the stone wall.

The screen of the card reader was glowing with a faint blue light.

Beside him, the silver-haired girl bent down slightly and put down Lin Xiaoyou, whom she had been carrying on her shoulder.

Lin Xiaoyou's black hair draped messily over her shoulders. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she immediately stumbled!

She hurriedly supported herself against the adjacent metal wall with both hands, her two pale little legs trembling like leaves in the wind!

"Finally down here..."

"I thought I was going to die of pain on Liguang's shoulder...!"

She muttered in a low voice.

Liguang, meanwhile, pulled the white access card from her small black satchel. Pinching the edge of the card with her slender fingers, she lightly tapped it against the card reader.

"Beep."

A crisp electronic chime sounded.

"Researcher, Lin Zhouyuan. Access granted."

An emotionless synthetic voice announced the name.

Lin Xiaoyou, standing by the wall, stiffened slightly, her almond eyes losing focus for a moment.

"Hiss—"

The heavy alloy blast door slowly slid open to both sides.

Fang Qi subconsciously stepped inside, his gaze falling on the wall directly opposite.

That wall... marked with B1.

In the previous loop, a dense hail of bullets had poured in through the crack of the door, turning this wall into a sieve.

He lowered his head again, looking at the metal floor inside the door.

It was also here that he had killed the young Lin Zhouyuan through the gap in the door, and Liguang had used the same gun... to kill him.

Then she had begun a frenzied massacre.

That experience, for him, had happened just a few hours ago.

But now...

He subconsciously turned his head back.

Behind him, the alloy blast door was slowly closing.

"Click."

The door shut.

Fang Qi blinked.

Hmm...?

"We just... got in?"

He couldn't help but mutter aloud.

...So smoothly?

Parking at the foot of the mountain, climbing up, unlocking the mechanism in the wooden cabin, walking down that long staircase passage...

Along the way, no accidents had occurred at all.

Just like that, they were standing smoothly on the B1 level!

Fang Qi even felt it was a bit surreal!

He had previously suspected that Gu Xi might still be here waiting for him! This time, she might have even brought more people along!

And that car from earlier!

As a result...

Gu Xi was not waiting for him in the wooden cabin.

The car tracking them seemed to have truly vanished after being shaken off.

...?

It was too smooth, which instead felt a bit bizarre, stripping away any sense of security...

Suddenly, a faint blue glow lit up beside him!

Fang Qi looked to his side. The silver-haired girl was tilting her head slightly, her heterochromatic eyes looking into the depths of the B1 level.

In her amber eye, that faint blue glimmer began to circulate once more!

She probably... also remembered everything from the previous loop.

Then she withdrew her gaze, turned her head slightly, and met Fang Qi's eyes...

She blinked at Fang Qi, the faint blue flashing briefly, and then gently lowered her head.

Looking like the picture of an obedient girl ready to follow her master's orders!

...Yeah.

Fang Qi's brows immediately relaxed.

The sense of security had returned!

With his wifey here, there was nothing to be afraid of!

He looked at Lin Xiaoyou.

Lin Xiaoyou had been slightly dazed ever since the door opened.

Standing by the door, leaning one hand against the metal wall, her small round face...

Was, quite rarely, devoid of any playful expression.

Her almond eyes were slightly unfocused, as if she was still digesting that name from just now.

But she quickly snapped out of it.

She blinked hard, her gaze refocusing, and pushed against the wall, trying hard to stand up straight.

Yet her two legs were still trembling slightly!

Taking a step forward...

"Hiss...! It hurts so much...!"

She muttered through gritted teeth, turning her head to look at Fang Qi and Liguang, wearing a somewhat forced grin on her face:

"You two, stop dawdling and come with me quickly."

Her voice was still a bit hoarse.

"Let's go, I'll first take you to see what you want to see!"

"It's definitely something you want to see!"

Liguang, however, did not move.

She maintained her obedient standing posture with her hands folded, her eyebrows slightly lowered.

Fang Qi didn't take a step either.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Lin Xiaoyou.

Miss Genius, you shouldn't be... planning any funny business today, right?

Lin Xiaoyou blinked, and then her mouth curled downward:

"Oh, Senior!"

"I'm already in this state, are you still afraid I'll do something to you!"

Saying this, she pointed to her behind!

Fang Qi: "..."

Like hell I'd believe you!

In the loop before the last, you were electrocuted by the gene door until you couldn't even move, yet you still dragged us down to die with you!

Lin Xiaoyou seemed to guess what Fang Qi was thinking and immediately spread her hands:

"Senior, to be honest, I really am not afraid of death, but..."

She carefully glanced at the smiling silver-haired girl and shrank her neck:

"But I am really afraid of pain!"

Saying that, she raised her hand and carefully touched her behind...

The moment she touched it, her whole body shivered!

She quickly pulled her hand back!

"...I really don't want to get spanked again!"

She gritted her teeth:

"So, hurry up and follow me! I'll be very well-behaved this time!"

After saying that, she didn't wait for Fang Qi's response, simply turned around, and limped her way inside.

Her loose long hair was a bit messy, and her steps were like a lame little duck, moving forward with difficulty!

But she gritted her teeth and didn't look back.

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes, staring at her back.

Suddenly, a slightly cool, small hand gently grasped his hand.

Their fingers intertwined, the palm warm and soft, and it gently squeezed the center of his hand.

—Master, Liguang is by your side.

The corners of Fang Qi's mouth curled up, and he squeezed her small hand in return.

"Let's go, Liguang. Keep a close eye on her."

"Yes, Master."

He held her hand, took a step, and caught up with the limping little duck in front.

Lin Xiaoyou walked very slowly, but she didn't take any unnecessary detours.

She didn't lead them around and around the B1 level like in the loop before last, but instead walked straight towards the deepest part.

The three of them passed through the living area, walking past those simple metal bunk beds and that folding dining table.

Potato chips, biscuits, chocolate bars.

The empty supply storage area.

The old basic laboratory.

Lin Xiaoyou walked in front, one hand supporting herself against the wall, grimacing in pain as she walked, but not making a sound.

Fang Qi held Liguang's hand, following two steps behind her.

Finally, the end of the road.

That entrance to the B2 level appeared before their eyes once again.

The metal door with exposed wiring was connected to a laptop with a bright yellow casing.

Fang Qi's eyelids twitched.

...Here we are again.

Meanwhile, Liguang's footsteps paused slightly, and the small hand holding his tightened gently!

She stared intensely at that bright yellow laptop!

The crimson in her red eye flashed fiercely, and the curve of her lips became a bit stiff!

Fang Qi: "..."

He knew what she was thinking.

—Little Liguang, you're not good enough, you still need to practice~

Those words had made Liguang tremble with anger! The laptop had self-destructed on the spot, burning into a fireball.

And now...

The cat rolling its eyes on the laptop screen still had that same punchable expression!

Lin Xiaoyou obviously also noticed Liguang's reaction, so...

She immediately turned around, clapped her hands together with a smack, and raised them over her head!

On her small round face, she squeezed out an incredibly sincere, ingratiating smile!

"Oh, I'm sorry, Liguang~"

Her forehead was still sweating cold sweat from the pain, but she winked at Liguang.

"I've already been punished by you, I've already taken three rounds! I also suffered so much in the car and on the mountain climbing road, my butt is going to rot now!"

"Please spare me this time, I beg you, Sister Liguang!"

Her head was lowered so much it was almost buried in her chest, and her clasped hands were raised high!

Fang Qi: "..."

Miss Genius, your moral integrity is indeed zero!

But...

Not bad either!

After all, a wise man submits to circumstances!

So, he gently squeezed the slightly cool little hand in his palm.

—Wife, forget it! Let's see what she wants to do first.

The scarlet in the silver-haired girl's crimson eyes slowly dimmed.

She turned her head away and let out a very light humph from her nose!

But she didn't say anything more, nor did she look at that notebook again!

...So obedient!

My wife in this state is still very rational!

Lin Xiaoyou also let out a long sigh of relief.

She straightened up and drew in a sharp breath of cold air with a hiss!

Then she gritted her teeth, turned around, barely managed to squat down, and picked up that bright yellow notebook...

And started typing on the keyboard! Her fingers danced nimbly and fast.

Finally, Lin Xiaoyou pressed her thumb on the touchpad, which seemed to be...

Fingerprint verification?

"Hiss—"

A low pneumatic sound finally rang out.

Fang Qi took a deep breath.

Behind the door was the familiar passage that he and Liguang hadn't seen in the previous loop.

At a glance, the entrance to the B2 floor below could be seen.

Lin Xiaoyou put the notebook back in its original place and stood up, leaning against the wall.

"Come with me quickly, let's go over..."

"It really hurts so much, I really don't want to walk anymore...!"

She stepped into the B2 floor.

Fang Qi looked around.

Metal floors, metal walls, metal ceilings.

No different from the loop before last.

The two continued to follow behind the limping Lin Xiaoyou.

The three of them came to the core laboratory again.

In this huge open space...

Fang Qi saw those weird, advanced devices again!

What was this spherical device, taller than him and covered with honeycomb-like holes on its surface, called again?

Some nano something sintering furnace?

...Forgot.

He squeezed Liguang's little hand.

Liguang immediately understood and spoke softly and meekly: "Master, it's a high-precision nanomaterial sintering furnace."

Oh, oh...

Lin Xiaoyou was still limping ahead, turning her head to flash them a smiling face:

"Senior, now you should know..."

"Why I spent a fortune back then to repair and calibrate these instruments!"

Fang Qi was startled.

What should he know? How could he...

Ah...

It's because...!

Lin Xiaoyou's tone became slightly lighter:

"Because I wanted to use them to upgrade Xiaoqing's core~"

It's just that...

Her tone became even lighter, with an indescribable sense of complexity.

"The good news is that Xiaoqing's core upgrade was successful. Her abilities have improved by a large margin, and she has also detected those 'informants'."

She took two more steps forward.

When passing by the "ultra-precision atomic-level lithography machine," the only machine Fang Qi knew the purpose of, her footsteps paused slightly.

"The bad news is..."

She turned her head, a fleeting dimness flashing in her almond eyes.

"'Sister Xiaoqing's' memory did not recover as a result."

Her voice became even lighter, her mood visibly somewhat depressed.

"Her past memories with me, I'm afraid... have truly completely disappeared."

She murmured.

"Perhaps, the lost memories of an AI companion really can never be retrieved."

Fang Qi looked at her in silence.

Memories...

What a troublesome thing indeed.

Can't be retrieved?

Impossible!

They can definitely be retrieved!

In his palm, that little hand suddenly tightened slightly.

He gripped Liguang's hand tightly.

Liguang's slender fingers were interlaced with his, and that small plastic star swayed gently beneath her earlobe.

Lin Xiaoyou took a deep breath...

And raised her head again, that playful curve hanging on her lips once more!

It was just that... that curve looked a bit forced no matter how you looked at it.

"Moreover, the money is all spent because of this!"

"Xiaoqing and I have become penniless because of this too!"

She spread her hands, turned around, and forced a bitter smile at Fang Qi.

"So Senior, treating people to meals really makes my heart ache!"

After saying that, she turned around and continued walking forward.

That limping figure looked somewhat frail against the cold metallic background.

Fang Qi and Liguang followed silently.

Finally, Lin Xiaoyou stopped in front of an ordinary metal door.

Fang Qi recognized this door at a glance.

[Archives Room]

In the loop before last, when Lin Xiaoyou led them past here, she only took a casual glance at it.

Then, they were brought to that gene door, and their attention was all drawn to it.

Lin Xiaoyou turned around, leaning her back against the doorframe, a thin layer of cold sweat still hanging on her cheek.

She looked at Fang Qi, the corners of her mouth curling up.

"Here lies the secret you want to know the most."

She reached out and pushed the door open.

"Creak—"

It was a bit dark inside the archives room.

Fang Qi focused his eyes to look.

A very ordinary small room.

Bookshelves, a desk, and boxes of documents piled up in the corner...

Liguang moved first.

She let go of Fang Qi's hand, took a step forward, and stood at the door.

The deep blue light in her amber left eye suddenly grew bright, her gaze sweeping over every corner of the archives room!

Her crimson eye was also flashing in coordination!

The incident of Lin Xiaoyou releasing poisonous gas in the secret room during the previous loop had clearly made Liguang full of vigilance toward any "territory" of this Miss Genius!

...You really give me a full sense of security, wifey!

Looking at Liguang acting as if facing a formidable enemy, Lin Xiaoyou scratched the back of her head:

"Oh my..."

She smiled sheepishly:

"The things I did in my 'dream' really make me untrustworthy..."

"But..."

She blinked at Fang Qi:

"This time, I really don't plan on doing anything! Really!"

Then, leaning against the wall, she limped into the archives room...

Walking up to a dust-covered desk.

Several stacks of documents were piled on the desk, the paper already yellowed with curled edges.

From the top of a pile of documents, she picked up a cowhide notebook.

The cover was already somewhat worn; what should have been a brown leather surface had now been rubbed white.

The side was tied with a thin leather string, tied in a bow that was about to come loose.

Lin Xiaoyou held this notebook with both hands, turned to Fang Qi, and handed it over.

"Fang Qi, this..."

Her expression had also become much more solemn, and her tone lacked its usual playfulness and banter.

"Take a look at it."

Fang Qi looked at that worn cowhide notebook, slightly stunned.

A leather notebook?

An inexplicable sense of deja vu.

He reached out and took the notebook.

The leather cover felt a bit rough to the touch.

Behind him, soft footsteps approached.

Liguang had finished inspecting the archives room and walked up to his side.

She stood very close, her shoulder almost brushing against his arm.

In her amber left eye, that faint blue light was still slowly swirling, but it was much softer than when she was inspecting the room earlier.

She tilted her head slightly, also looking at the notebook.

Fang Qi gently pulled away the leather strap that was about to come loose and opened the cover...

On the title page, the words "Life Notes" were written.

The handwriting was very elegant.

Fang Qi's pupils, however, suddenly shrank!

This...

This familiar handwriting?!

This is...?!

His breathing grew slightly heavy!

His mother's handwriting!

It was the handwriting of his biological mother, his mom from before he transmigrated!

The exact same handwriting!

How could this...?!

Then he noticed another line of small text below:

"Whoever peeks at this will have a baby born without an asshole! I'm talking about you, Ah Chu!"

Fang Qi: "..."

Suddenly, it didn't feel like her anymore.

Ah Chu...

That had to be his dad, Fang Chu, right?!

...Well, it seems...

His old man probably never peeked...?

He immediately turned to the first page.

The paper was already a bit yellowed.

[February 14th, Year XXXX.]

[Today, Ah Chu and I had our baby.]

[It hurt so much! It really hurt! It hurt so much I cried!]

[But starting today, I am no longer a child. I have become a mother!]

[So I decided to start learning how to record my life! To record my little guy!]

[My little guy is really ugly-cute. He actually didn't cry when he was born, and even dared to stare at me with wide eyes!]

[Looking completely shocked, his little hand was raised as if he wanted to point at me.]

[However, he was eventually smacked into crying by the delivery nurse. Hehe!]

[I was crying, yet he dared not to cry, and even dared to glare at me. Well smacked!]

Fang Qi: "...?"