Chapter 181: Protection

From the shade canopy looking forward, one can see the base's eastern beach and also gaze out at the Indian Ocean's blue sea.

Around lunchtime on Minos Island, the recruits have already finished their morning run training; only a few classes use the beach equipment for obstacle‑course training.

From time to time, shouts of "Officer! Yes! Officer!" echo.

Under the shade canopy, Sui Bian sits on a folding chair reviewing files.

Standing not far to Sui Bian's left, Lai'ang folds his arms across his chest, always displaying a distant, aloof demeanor as he watches the recruits training on the beach.

The four Dark (Black) Angels spread out, also keeping a cold, vigilant watch around them just like their OriginalBody.

The two artificial intelligences standing on Sui Bian's right and left, however, do not deliberately show a cold attitude; they have always been that way.

"NuoWa·Aifeson?"

When reviewing the orphan file named NuoWa·Aifeson, Sui Bian can't help feeling some interest.

The file shows NuoWa's birthday is December 25, 1992, right on Christmas, and her parents, the Aifeson couple, were famous wealthy merchants in London.

News obtained by the White Queen reveals that on Christmas 1998, the Aifeson couple celebrated their beloved daughter's birthday, when the suburban villa they lived in suddenly caught fire.

When firefighters arrived, the villa was already engulfed in flames, and everyone assumed the Aifeson family perished in the blaze.

However, after entering the ruins to extinguish the fire, the firefighters discovered a six‑year‑old NuoWa, unharmed but unconscious.

The incident caused a sensation in London for a time.

After finishing NuoWa's file,

Sui Bian wonders whether this world's NuoWa is the level‑10 Spiritual User from "StarCraft".

"Father." Coincidentally, Lai'ang whispers to him at this moment, "They're coming."

"Oh? Is that so." Hearing this, Sui Bian ends his thought and looks to his right‑rear.

He sees more than ten open‑top Wart Pig off‑road vehicles driving toward him along the base road beside the beach.

Seeing this,

Sui Bian rises from the folding chair, hands the tablet to Bai Hou, who steps out of the shade canopy and walks to the parking lot outside.

Lai'ang and the others also leave.

Immediately, the group stands not far outside the shade canopy, watching the convoy turn right off the road into the parking lot.

Finally, the convoy stops, and the two armed security teams driving the Wart Pigs quickly disembark.

The thirty‑seven "passengers" aboard the Wart Pigs also get off in turn, following the security guards escorting them toward Sui Bian and the others.

The "passengers" have long been monitored by Umbrella and are suspected orphan Spiritual Users, among them NuoWa who lives in a church.

These children, dressed in their summer clothes, are of similar age, between fourteen and sixteen.

Now their expressions vary; most are bewildered and fearful.

After all, they were taken away under the guise of intelligence agents disguised as various identities, removed from the orphanages and welfare homes where they had lived long‑term under the pretext of adoption.

After leaving their familiar environment, they board the Yuyou they have never seen before and arrive at this isolated yet highly advanced Minos Island.

An adult would feel lost and scared; the children feel it even more.

Yet there are always a few atypical individuals.

Several atypical boys are excited, finding the security's Mechanical exoskeletons and helmets fascinating; their reaction shows they are military enthusiasts.

When these atypical boys spot the four Dark Angels and the sun‑shielding Lai'ang…

"Jesus Christ! Giant! It's a giant!"

"My God! This is so cool!"

They become even more agitated, tossing aside the question "Giants shouldn't exist," and loudly exclaim in amazement.

The other children, however, do not share this mindset.

Watching the crowd gradually approach, Sui Bian, who has kept a gentle smile, is now communicating with the system.

The system alerts the children who seem to possess Spiritual Energy the moment they step off the vehicle:

【Detected thirty‑six humans with high Spiritual potential and one human with extremely high Spiritual potential.】

With this system notice, Sui Bian can confirm the children are Spiritual Users and asks himself: "Is the extremely high‑potential human NuoWa·Aifeson?"

【Yes.】

"Alright, I understand." After the system's affirmation, Sui Bian asks again:

"System, does the father‑son link allow the OriginalBody to obtain Spiritual Energy from me without suffering intrusion from the other dimension?"

"And for the Spiritual Users before me, who already possess Spiritual Energy, is there a way to directly siphon it? Or can my Spiritual Energy provide protection for them, thereby completely shielding them from other‑dimensional harm?"

【The host, regardless of physique or Spiritual Energy, is a crushing presence over thirty‑seven Spiritual potential beings, so it can expend the corresponding points to directly siphon the opponent's Spiritual Energy without needing to physically eliminate them first.】

It can provide protection.

Spiritual protection also consumes points, but because the Spiritual potential beings and the host lack a "father‑son link," their Spiritual growth can only rely on their own discovery and comprehension, not on the host's aid.

"Hmm, understood." Sui Bian replies lightly.

The OriginalBody's Spiritual Energy originates from him, so when his Spiritual Energy grows, the OriginalBodies enjoy one‑tenth of his increase, after all they are his "biological" sons.

He then says: "Consume points to perform Spiritual protection."

【Detecting required points…

Detection complete.

NuoWa·Aifeson's Spiritual potential is extremely high, requiring 900 points for protection; the remaining thirty‑six require a total of 1,750 points.

Consuming 2,650 points for protection, the host's remaining points are 350.】

As the system finishes speaking, an invisible Spiritual Energy wave radiates from Sui Bian outward, instantly enveloping everyone present.

?

Lai'ang, standing beside Sui Bian, clearly feels the wave, yet his expression never changes, maintaining a "Father doesn't speak, I won't ask" attitude.

Among the crowd, NuoWa furrows her brow, seeming to vaguely sense something but cannot articulate what it is.

When the security guards led the orphans to his presence, Sui Bian showed a very kind smile and said:

「Children, my name is Sui Bian, the true master of Umbrella, and I sent staff to bring you to this island; in other words, I am the one who adopted you。」

「I know you are confused, lost, and uneasy, wondering why the boss of a giant corporation would choose to adopt you, and why he would bring you to this island。」

「To be frank, each of you is a unique existence, possessing talents that ordinary people cannot perceive, and I will personally teach you how to properly use this talent。」

(End of chapter)