Chapter 160: Grand Master

After a brief moment of stupor, caution overwhelmed a fleeting astonishment.

She lightened her steps, slowly walking forward, as if afraid to disturb something.

The surface of the sleep pod was smooth as a mirror, reflecting her bewildered reflection.

Through the observation window on top, one could faintly see a figure lying inside.

(Who is it? How did they end up in my room?)

Hua's brows knit tightly together.

A few minutes ago she had been secretly glad that she only changed clothes, but now this 'surprise' was delivered straight to her door, blocking her room.

Hua did not act rashly.

She first cautiously walked around the sleep pod, carefully examining its shell, and found no markings or instructions.

She then tried to use her authority as a Heroic Data Body in this space to connect to the pod, but the feedback was a vague blur, as if an intangible barrier lay between them.

In the end, her gaze fell once more on the girl inside the pod.

The girl appeared utterly harmless, even somewhat fragile.

(I can't just let her keep sleeping like this… or keep leaving this thing in the middle of the room.)

After a moment's hesitation, Hua reached out, her fingertips probing a spot on the pod's side that looked like a basic control panel.

The layout logic of these controls resembled that of the Fire-chasing Moth equipment in her memory.

She attempted to input several common unlock commands according to the sequence she remembered.

'Beep—hum—'

A soft electronic tone sounded, and the indicator light on the pod's side shifted from a steady flashing dark blue to a soft, constant green.

Immediately afterward, the pod lid emitted a series of fine pressure-release sounds, then slid open silently along its central axis to both sides.

Cool air flowed into the pod.

The girl lying inside twitched her long eyelashes a few times, then strained to open her eyes.

They were a pair of clear brown eyes, still dazed from just waking.

She seemed to take a moment to focus her gaze, blinking blankly, then instinctively turned her neck to survey the completely unfamiliar room around her.

Then her gaze fell on Hua, who stood beside the sleep pod, slightly bent forward, looking at her with an inquisitive expression.

Their eyes met.

In the girl's eyes, a deeper bewilderment flashed first, then, as if a memory switch had been tripped, the bewilderment was swiftly replaced by shock.

Her lips parted slightly, and a hoarse yet perfectly clear address, unused for a long time, slipped out:

"Grand… Grand Master?!"

Hua: "...?"

Grand Master?

Who?

Are you calling me?

Hua was completely stunned, the sentence she prepared to ask the girl's identity catching in her throat.

She could be certain she had never taken a disciple, let alone a grand-disciple.

But the girl's gaze… it was unmistakably the look of someone recognizing an acquaintance.

It didn't look like feigning or mistaking someone.

That gaze seemed to behold a figure she had thought existed only in legend or portrait, now alive before her eyes.

(She knows 'me'? No… )

In a flash, Hua thought of a possibility.

(Is it recognizing the me outside?)

A thought shot through Hua's mind like lightning: the outside world, that 'modern civilization'.

The 'Grand Master' the girl spoke of most likely refers to her!

As a Heroic Data Body that split off and carries the memories of the pre-civilization, Hua knows that the main body operates in modern civilization, but the specific details are not shared.

She only knows that the main body seems to have undergone much and changed greatly.

Could it be… that the main body truly left a legacy over the long ages?

The girl before her… could she be the main body's grand-disciple?

This realization stirred waves in Hua's heart.

Curiosity, wariness, a faint inexplicable sense of responsibility, and a desire to investigate everything that 'outside' self has experienced, all intertwined.

The girl glanced at Hua, then at the completely unfamiliar surroundings, and at the icy 'coffin' beneath her, her little face growing more confused.

"Grand Master? Where is this? Why am I here? I remember I seemed to be…"

The girl before her had somewhat recovered from the initial shock, seeming to struggle to sit up, but her long-dormant body was still somewhat weak, making her movements awkward.

Hua quickly gathered her scattered thoughts.

Regardless of who the girl is or her relation to the main body, she is clearly in a helpless state right now.

The urgent priority is to get her out of the sleep pod and settled.

"Miss…"

Hua chose a safe form of address, keeping her tone as calm as possible: "You come out first, then we'll talk. This… is my room. You seem to have been transferred here by some means."

She extended her hand, indicating that Li Su Shang could use it to climb out of the pod.

Li Su Shang looked at Hua's outstretched hand, then at Hua's face, which was nearly identical to the portrait in her memory except for a somewhat colder, more solemn demeanor, hesitated a moment, and then took Hua's hand.

Her hand was cold and steady.

With Hua's gentle assistance, Li Su Shang clambered out of the pod somewhat awkwardly, her feet staggering slightly upon landing, clearly her body had not yet fully recovered.

She wore only thin clothing inside the sleep suit, looking delicate and helpless.

"I... I am Li Su Shang."

After the girl steadied herself, she spoke softly, still looking doubtfully at Hua: "Grand Master, do you... not remember me? Or is this... your... cave dwelling? Why is the style so strange? What are these shiny plates?"

Hearing her archaic phrasing, Hua became even more certain that the other person was not from modern times.

Doubts welled up in her heart, but she did not show them on her face.

"This is a long story."

Hua said briefly, their gaze sweeping over Li Su Shang's thin clothing: "What you need now is rest and adaptation. Over there,"

She pointed to the small washroom attached to the room: "You can wash up. The closet has spare clothing; you can pick something that fits and change into it first. Then we can talk slowly."

Li Su Shang followed the direction Hua pointed and saw the clean, bright little space, a hint of curiosity appearing on her face.

"Wash up... change clothes?"

She glanced at herself, her face slightly flushing: "Thank you, Grand Master. But... I have never seen these objects before and do not know how to use them."

Hua sighed inwardly.

(Indeed.)

She led Li Su Shang to the washroom door, briefly demonstrating the use of the faucet, towel rack, and light switch, her movements clear and concise.

She then opened the closet, and, as expected, the System Space's consistent thoroughness was evident: it had prepared many different styles of clothing, all favoring simplicity or Eastern elements.

Hua picked out a few pieces that looked the right size, mainly in blue and white tones, with delicate patterns resembling blue-and-white porcelain, and handed them to Li Su Shang.

"Change into these first. If you need anything else, just call me."

After saying that, Hua stepped out of the washroom and considerately pulled the door shut.

Standing in the middle of the room, Hua gazed at the still-open sleep pod, her brow furrowed deeply.

(Li Su Shang... Grand Master...)

(Suddenly sent here...)

(Is this a deliberate arrangement by Heimu?)

(The main body's grand-disciple... what does that mean?)

Countless questions swirled in her mind.

She walked to a corner of the room, where there was a simple communication interface linked to the System.

She needed to contact the System, or... directly ask that person behind the scenes.