Chapter 295: Consciousness

【System detects the host's emotions are stable; the darkened personality's dormant state remains solid.】

The cold, mechanical voice sounded in Lin Chen's mind for half a second before suddenly breaking off,

followed immediately by a gentle female voice, as clear as if Sister Chu Yao Yao were standing right beside his ear speaking. Lin Chen was leaning against the wall of the safe zone,

holding half a piece of uneaten beef jerky in his hand; the moment he heard this voice, his movements stiffened suddenly, and the beef jerky at his fingertips fell to the ground, emitting a faint sound.

【Family Seal·Modified, it was something I made with my last bit of ability... Lin Chen, hatred will destroy you, just as the virus destroyed me.】

The woman's voice was not high, carrying a hint of familiar gentleness, and a hint of imperceptible fatigue.

Lin Chen's breathing stopped abruptly, the family seal on his chest burning fiercely, as if it were going to burn through his skin. He stared fixedly at the beef jerky on the ground,

his mind blank, only this sentence remaining, along with Sister Chu Yao Yao's smiling face—the smiling face that had appeared in illusions, standing in a field of sunflowers.

He remembered the first time he triggered the family seal, remembered Sister Chu Yao Yao's words, "Lu Ran, you have to give others a chance to choose," remembered the warmth that came every time the seal fluctuated,

it turned out that from beginning to end, it wasn't some cold system program; it was Sister Chu Yao Yao, it was something she had left behind with her last bit of ability.

【System prompt: Host's brainwave fluctuations are abnormal. Consciousness connection is stable.】

When this sentence sounded, it was still Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice, without the cold hardness of the mechanical voice,

adding a hint of human temperature. Lin Chen slowly squatted down, picked up the beef jerky on the ground, and pinched it in his palm. He could feel the texture in his palm,

could feel the roughness of the beef jerky, could feel the scorching heat of the seal on his chest, and Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice in his mind, sentence by sentence, as if carrying weight, pressing on his heart.

He remembered the day Sister Chu Yao Yao sacrificed herself; the safe zone was shrouded in the virus, and she took the last antiviral agent and rushed into the laboratory at the source of the virus, never coming out again. At that time, everyone said she was dead, not even leaving a body behind, and he had also thought that Sister Chu Yao Yao had completely disappeared in that virus storm.

He remembered the first time the system appeared; it was three months after Sister Chu Yao Yao sacrificed herself,

At that time, he was being controlled by the darkened personality and had almost killed Lin Hao. The system's mechanical voice had forcibly suppressed the darkened personality, saving his life.

At that time, he only thought it was a new program developed by the safe zone's researchers, never thinking that it would be Sister Chu Yao Yao's consciousness.

【Family Seal·Modified, core instruction: Dissolve hatred, protect survival.】

Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice sounded again, carrying a hint of solemnity. Lin Chen's fingers trembled slightly,

He crushed the beef jerky in his palm. He thought of his obsessions over these years, thought of his hatred for zombies, and thought of his resistance to the darkened personality.

remembered his guilt toward Lin Hao; it turned out Sister Chu Yao Yao had been there all along, in this way, accompanying him, watching him, guiding him.

He looked up toward the direction of the safe zone; the cafeteria chimney was still smoking,

the laughter of the team members came faintly, and Lin Hao and Xia Nuan were sitting on the stone bench in the square, not knowing what they were talking about. The sunlight shone on them,

carrying a hint of warmth. The corners of Lin Chen's mouth twitched involuntarily, revealing a faint smile.

【I cannot hold on for too long; the virus in the global network is still eroding consciousness. The family seal can protect you until you truly let go of hatred.】

Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice weakened for a moment, then quickly returned to stability. Lin Chen closed his eyes, Sister Chu Yao Yao's appearance appearing in his mind—ear-length short hair, bright eyes; when she smiled, the corners of her eyes would curve into crescents. He remembered before the apocalypse, they were classmates, attending classes in the classroom together, running on the playground together, discussing the direction of the future together.

At that time, Sister Chu Yao Yao always said she wanted everyone to live well.

At that time, he always nodded with a smile, saying he would help her. He didn't expect the apocalypse to descend, and everything changed; he was almost swallowed by hatred, and it was Sister Chu Yao Yao who used her last bit of ability to pull him back.

He slowly opened his eyes; the seal on his chest was still burning, but it was no longer scorching, instead carrying a hint of warmth, flowing through his blood throughout his body. He remembered all the system's previous prompts,

He thought of the force with which the system forcibly suppressed the darkened personality every time it became restless, and thought of the calm voice the system transmitted every time he fell into guilt; it turned out that from beginning to end, it was always Sister Chu Yao Yao.

Footsteps came from afar; Xia Nuan walked toward him, holding a bottle of water.

She saw Lin Chen's appearance, paused her steps, did not approach, just stood not far away, looking at him quietly. Lin Chen nodded at her, Xia Nuan also nodded, and turned to walk back to the square.

【You must live well, carry everyone's hope, and live well.】

Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice sounded again, carrying a hint of relief. Lin Chen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat tight, unable to say a single word. He could only clench his teeth tightly,

not letting himself make a sound. He could feel the voice in his mind gradually weakening, like a candle flame in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any time.

He remembered the look in Sister Chu Yao Yao's eyes before she sacrificed herself—determined, gentle,

carrying concern for everyone. He remembered the words Sister Chu Yao Yao had said, remembered the function of the family seal, remembered all the system's instructions;

it turned out that before Sister Chu Yao Yao sacrificed herself, she injected a wisp of consciousness into the global network, becoming a part of the "system."

He remembered his previous reliance on the system, remembered every time he encountered danger,

the system's prompts, remembered the system's comfort every time his emotions fluctuated;

it turned out it was all Sister Chu Yao Yao, in another way, protecting him, protecting everyone in the safe zone.

The seal on his chest gradually calmed down, no longer burning, but still carrying a hint of warmth. The voice in his mind disappeared completely, replaced by a silence. Lin Chen slowly stood up, patted the dust off his body, and walked toward the direction of the square.

He could see the figures of Lin Hao and Xia Nuan, could hear the laughter of the team members, could smell the fragrance of food wafting from the cafeteria. The sunlight shone on him, carrying a hint of warmth. His steps were steady, one by one, stepping on the ground, emitting a faint sound.

He walked to the stone bench in the square and sat down beside Lin Hao and Xia Nuan. Lin Hao glanced at him and nodded. Xia Nuan handed him a bottle of water; Lin Chen took it and took a sip. The water was very cool, sliding down his throat, dispelling all the fatigue.

The children in the square were chasing and playing, emitting bursts of laughter. The team members gathered in twos and threes, chatting and talking. The cafeteria chimney was still smoking, and the fragrance of food permeated the air. Lin Chen looked at everything in front of him, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. ===== CHAPTER 296 =====