Chapter 126: Part．17［New Team on the Antarctic Road］

Part．17［New Team on the Antarctic Road］

1976.2.15, 8:50 a. m.

Star of Bei Jia Er Hu suburban airport.

Second Concealed Airport, first runway.

"Xiao Wu Ming, how are you just leaving like this!! You must take care of yourself, definitely don't have any mishap! I calculated your fortune today and the tortoise shell broke into four pieces, so you must definitely pay attention, wuwuwu!"

The departing Wu Ming was hugged by Long Si Wu, who was crying and snotting.

"Long Sis, are you sure you're not threatening me not to go?" The girl only felt several black lines slide down her forehead.

(The actual situation is probably that Wu Ming's fortune cannot be calculated......)

"Alright! Saying all that isn't about not being able to meet! It's just an overseas mission! Once I finish my thesis I can go out too! What's there to be afraid of!" Amidst her busyness, Mina also took some time to come see her off.

After returning from that world, in order to let the Programming Wand Technique be usable in this world, Mina basically never had a break, through her Humanoid Philosopher's Stone's ability to discern which materials in this world could be universal, attempting to make wands from this world's materials....

However, up to this period there still hasn't been much progress; on the contrary, the Spacetime Research Department linked the original two worlds' connected portal through some means to another unstable spacetime region and established a channel, thus moving the 'interface' position to a location in northern Bei Jia Er Hu; Wu Ming pondered that there would probably be a few more spatial interfaces later... Hmm, it seems necessary to file another report.

Even with machines or something else stabilizing so many spacetime rifts, it would still cause abnormal conditions locally; if necessary, just in case, Wu Ming felt she should mention this to avoid any serious consequences.

In thought, she glanced twice at the sky where the sun had not yet risen, exhaled a breath of warm air, parted from her companions, and embarked on a new adventure.

"Si Tan Fu, if you receive my letter, please wait for me!"

"Hmm.... As I see it, a new city will rise from the ground near the sea. It represents a new era, a new beginning. New.... #&#￥&#@#￥, it will be a city facing the world, that is what it looks like when the veil of common sense is torn away......"

On the plane, the girl murmured, fragments of images flashed in her eyes, as if a possible future branch.

At this moment, she did not notice that her slightly steaming head had already heated up to a degree beyond what a person with a high fever could reach.

"When your brain is insufficient to fully accept this compressed information, it's better not to let your thoughts wander wildly. My Lord."

Splash~

The warm water on the table in front of her was lifted by some invisible force, poured onto Wu Ming's head, waking her up.

Drip~ drip~

Accompanied by a deep breath, the girl who had come to her senses quickly glanced around the cabin, ignored the curious looks of fellow passengers, and turned her head to continue "looking" at the scenery outside.

She didn't bother with the passenger information sheet on the table in front of her. A long enough journey gives ample time for them to get to know each other. At the start, the girl felt it was better to give everyone some distance.

"Feeling... as if I suddenly grew up, I should, my thinking shouldn't be so old-fashioned. Also, when did I become your master?"

In her heart she whispered to the Time Worm hiding by her ear. During this time her mood hasn't been good; every day she organizes the information she saw during that ritual. She has seen a lot—some of it present, some future, some past. Moreover, some of it is not from this world. The world's pity, she feels a bit timid, because she hasn't yet seen what price such a gift carries.

Glancing sideways, she saw nearby people gradually beginning to communicate, and she furtively glanced at the guard watching the cabin door; Wu Ming sighed silently.

"Time means almost nothing to us; your growth is not a bad thing for you. Your resilience isn't as fragile as you think.... This isn't anything. As for titles, I exchanged something important with your future self using all of myself."

The butterfly's words revealed more information, but they always cut off at the crucial point.

"Yeah yeah, I can always do it, whether I want to or not...... Huh?"

In a somewhat decadent tone she muttered, a small note floated slowly to her face.

"Hello, senior sister, can we get to know each other a little?" The neat, printed-like Russian handwriting expressed the visitor's intention.

Upon lifting her head, Wu Ming met four pairs of curious eyes.

Three males and one female, all students nearing graduation. According to school year they are considered Wu Ming's peers, but they have no actual experience handling incidents, so calling Wu Ming 'senior sister' is no big deal. Although they are all older than her, in actions where a little carelessness could lead to injury or even loss of life, knowing more and having more experience makes survival easier.

【Hai Lun·Yi Ge Er, 8th grade student, male, basic grades good, no physical abnormalities, health condition excellent, specialties medium-to-long range gun shooting, trace tracking, detail extraction, high sensitivity. Personality traits: warm and familiar with acquaintances, few words with strangers. Suggestion: engage proactively, take the initiative to communicate.】

【Yue Se Fu·A Lie Fu Si Ji·Ya Luo Bo Er Ke, male, eighth grade student, basic grades excellent, no physical abnormalities, health condition good, specialties speed note-taking, electronic technology, high intuition. Personality traits: often given to imagination, mental resilience unclear. Suggestion: pay attention to his state, discussing topics of interest brings closeness.】

【Ma Lu Sha·Pa Te Li Ji Fu Na, female, 8th grade student, basic grades good, special circumstances exist, affected by unrecorded campus sudden ritual No. 0005. No physical abnormalities, health condition good. Specialties: archery shooting, emergency wound treatment, wilderness survival. Ritual-affected condition: unknown substance crystals appear on the right palm, right hand strength increased, overall bodily condition improved, per personal report can allegedly release psychic-like power via the crystals, true situation not fully clarified. Known: can temporarily further increase strength; can specialize arrow shafts when drawing the bow, attaching different enhancements. (According to follow-up surveys of other affected individuals, this student's traits not fully excavated, the ritual affects different people differently, further investigation needed.) Personality traits: outgoing, enjoys socializing. Vigilance relatively low.】

【An Dong·Ya Lie Shan Da Wei Qi, male, eighth grade student, basic grades good, physical quality excellent, internal circulation stronger than average. Specialties: close-quarters armed combat, skilled with knuckle dusters, short blades, mechanical repair. Personality traits: pragmatic, cautious.】

Wu Ming lowered her head, glanced at the data, having figured it out, quickly put them away and lifted her head.

"Hey everyone~. I'm Bai Ling Wu Ming, what do you want to chat about? Or want to learn? There's still plenty of time, relax, everyone."

She gave a slight smile, disassembled the stand of the table in front of her and laid it down to make more space between them, then spoke to the four people on the other side.

They exchanged glances, almost immediately deciding the order of self-introductions.

"Hello hello! I'm Marusha! Being able to get this close to the school's celebrity really makes my heart race! Hope senior sister will be tolerant!"

First was Marusha, just as the data showed—not only the first, but the earlier note was also her proposal and writing. A head of blond hair, blue eyes, a very standard Russian girl. Her hair was tied into two braid-like plaits, then crossed and looped at the back of the head, then secured with a wooden clip, keeping all her hair in the back-head area.

Wu Ming had seen her before; previously maybe no impression, but after returning that time there was a slight memory at the gathering.

"Greetings, I'm Anton, Anton Alexandrovich. Although we haven't met before, you probably have no impression of me, but I've also learned about the rumor of the fastest graduation at school. I hope senior sister will not grudge giving guidance."

Next was Anton, his buzz cut possibly making him look fierce due to his excellent physique (probably the horizontal flesh on his face and his sturdy build giving pressure), but he should be clear about his own situation, so he used relatively restrained attire and matching, small expressions and tone in communication to reduce others' aversion.

She noticed Anton's clothing mainly brown and gray, with no leather parts etc.; on him there wasn't even a bit of metal accessory, even his waist keychain is a plastic spring cord.

"Senior sister hello, I'm Joseph. Just call me that." After saying that, he gave the girl an awkward yet polite smile.

Then came Joseph. He looks somewhat shy, with the standard short hair all students have... possibly because it's winter, he hasn't groomed it much, so it's grown a bit longer. He has slight freckles; when he was just speaking, his hands kept making small motions. He doesn't seem very good at communicating.

Wu Ming returned a smile.

Then it was the last one's turn.

"Senior sister hello. I, I am Helen, uh....." Before finishing the sentence, Helen's mouth stalled, her eyeballs began to tremble imperceptibly as if thinking what to say in her first conversation with someone.

"Cough.. no problem, no problem, Helen, right. At the beginning, just stating the name is fine."

Wu Ming waved her hand, using words to shift the gaze of the other few from Helen, who looked like she was about to dig the cabin floor with her toes, over to them.

"Interesting.... Although the student info shows they're only nodding acquaintances in the good-student circle, yet being able to unify their stance this quickly is still quite surprising to me."

She blinked, then said: "Alright then, what should we talk about? My experiences might not be as exciting as everyone imagines."

Her eyes looked toward Marusha, the first to introduce herself to her.

"Although in your view your experience isn't worth mentioning, but we few are participating in a mission for the first time, so naturally please start from the beginning. On the plane we aren't allowed to bring entertainment stuff; even listening to a story would be nice."

Marusha patted her pocket, rolled her eyes at the guard by the cabin door.

Alright~, then what about you?

Andong: "I agree."

Joseph: "No opinion."

Helen nodded. jpg

Well, then I'll first talk about my only mission so far. By the way, feel free to ask any questions you have during it; that way you'll feel more involved.

Wuming finished speaking, then poured herself a cup of clear water to moisten her throat, and only then began to narrate slowly.

They asked many things, but a considerable part Wuming could only answer with an embarrassed laugh, because her experience was only a single high-value mysterious event operation. More experience was merely obtained by looking up those event records in the archives with sufficient clearance, i. e., 'armchair strategy.'

Soon, they became acquainted, sharing their lunches and snacks with each other.

They weren't on a commercial flight, and what they had to do wasn't travel or a business trip, so if they didn't want to eat the prepackaged meals provided on the plane, they could only prepare their food in advance.

In this regard, Wuming originally just wanted to go to the cafeteria and grab a sandwich to get by (a Russian-style open-faced sandwich, just a slice of bread with toppings, meat, and sauce; when wrapped in paper it looks like two halves together), but given her appetite, preparing properly would still be quite a hassle. However, when she returned to the dorm carrying a bag of packed food, Long Siwu was already boiling the second pot of soup.

Um.... there was no miraculous psychic power or anything else speeding up A Long's cooking; it was just that the cafeteria lady couldn't help her pack that much, so only she was packing the food to take....

Wow wow, elite agents always have some quirks; are you a glutton, senior?

Malusha, who had done the introductions first, asked in surprise while chewing on Wuming's ham-cheese-smoked fish sandwich.

Quirks aren't that ordinary. It's simply due to my physiological traits; after all, I'm not one of those mysterious creatures, so the more effort I exert, the more I need to eat. Wuming let out a slight breath, poured herself a third cup of prickly pear-flavored soda, took two sips, and said.

Stare——

"Hehe~, do you find it somewhat suspicious?" the girl asked with a hint of a smile in her eyes.

"No, I just feel that lacking secrecy is boring."

"I told you! She's still a human!"

"But her mission was clearly completed together with Senior Chusi! If she were also human, that wouldn't be standard procedure."

"After all, it's just common practice, not a rule. How could such important matters be left to non-humans?"

They each voiced their opinions, making Wuming feel as if she were back in class.

Really comfortable, isn't it?

But turning her head, she saw the clouds outside the porthole, and a flick of her eyes brought the scene of the second-shift guard on duty back to reality.

Andong shared his ham and dry bread slices, with no vegetables, accompanied by a bottle of spicy-sour sauce. He thought vegetables spoil easily and their extra moisture would ruin the bread's texture. His drink was pure milk. His snack was jerky, the aged stock his hometown folks mailed him that he couldn't bear to eat and had kept until today to bring along.

Wuming merely politely picked at it with her chopsticks; as for the jerky, she, confident in her physique, gnawed two bites and successfully earned Andong's admiring look.

(Andong: "I carry this as a talisman; besides, senior is awesome. Say you'll chew it and you chew it.")

Malusha did bring some thin soup in her lunch box, a classic beef borscht, also gotten from the cafeteria and heated a bit with the plane's steam pot, so the taste was still fine. It was paired with a kind of dead flatbread, whose texture and feel somewhat resembled the Indian-style snack cakes Wuming had munched on while wandering around town. (Malusha: "Yeah~ after all, who wouldn't get tired of chewing basically the same bread every day? It's normal to occasionally try something else, and this flatbread isn't exclusive to Indian cuisine—Middle Eastern folks eat it too!")

Helen.... Helen brought a lunch box of pan-fried dumplings and buns. Wuming said that these Chinese dishes made by A Long were truly delicious, and after finishing she didn't want anything else (not really). Still, she symbolically pinched two to show some meaning. Well, when sharing she ate one, and when nearly full she pinched another to take up the slack, looking after his mood.

By the way, Wuming also on the spot mixed some of the oil skimmed from the top of Andong's spicy-sour sauce with the borscht and the leftover thick yogurt used for seasoning the soup to make a dip for Helen.

"Oh Helen, eating buns and dumplings without dip is soulless!"

"What?! Chinese people not only have to eat food but also eat the soul of food?! No wonder those Chinese people at school always look full of spirit!!"

Malusha: "No, no, you've misunderstood."

Andong: "That's just a figure of speech; in our terms, it's like drinking high-proof liquor without pickled pork."

"What?! You're secretly drinking alcohol?!" Joseph exclaimed in surprise.

"My dad told me that!!! I'm not the type who doesn't follow rules!"

"Come on, come on~ Andong and I have some overlapping courses, we're not exactly strangers. He really does follow the rules."

"Senior, your soup smells amazing! How do you make it? Is it sold in the cafeteria?"

"I can't help it; that was made by my roommate, namely the school's sole Chinese dragon."

"Wow~, she can actually cook! Is she that all-capable?!"

"How enviable, my roommate won't clean unless I nag them."

"My roommate expects me to throw out their trash....."

Seeing the discussion gradually go off-topic, Wuming resignedly spoke up to prepare to open a new topic.

"Alright alright, let's switch topics. Want to see my ability?"

"Ability? Could you be a psychic, senior? Or someone from the mysterious side studying psychic powers?" Malusha asked curiously.

Wuming noticed her unconsciously clenching her right hand.

"Not the same; my ability should be considered innate." Wuming originally wanted to say her power came from an accident she hadn't participated in, but by the time it reached her lips it turned into the reason matching her records.

After quickly finishing the leftover food and cleaning up the mess with the team members, the girl placed her hand on the table under everyone's curious gaze.

Then she slowly lifted it, and a crystal column that appeared and was indeed pure and impurity-free rose up like magic.

"How amazing, does it just... rise up like that?" Malusha widened her eyes, lowered her head to look under the table, then picked up that crystal column to examine it closely.

Joseph: "Is this created out of thin air? Although we've been taught in class that psychics' power manifestations violate various physical laws, seeing it for the first time is truly... inconceivable.",

"It's somewhat alike, yet also different; want to give it a lick?" the girl mysteriously offered the crystal column to them.

Their gazes intertwined; nobody reached out until the ever-silent Andong inhaled.

"Hmm... let me try, salty? table salt?" he said instinctively.

"Yes, yes, you guessed right. Moreover, this didn't appear out of nowhere. At least in my power manifestation, I still somewhat obey conservation. For example, this salt column comes from around you... in the form of particles, extremely tiny particles, floating in this space."

Wuming first affirmed Andong's judgment, then proceeded to explain.

"Ah, I go, we've always had this around? Awesome!" Malusha exclaimed steadily.

Andong's pupils contracted upon hearing this, then quickly recovered.

The other two's reactions lay between Andong's and Malusha's: surprised yet with a nod of vague awe.

"Haha, because we need to prepare this substance in advance, the limitation is still quite large; after all, tiny particles are easily depleted by various issues, so to maintain the required density we have to carry a sufficient amount of material as a supplement. It's still quite troublesome."

Wuming explained again.

"Senior, is your ability to control this substance rather than master the elements that compose it?" Joseph asked, following the thread.

Yeah, but it's fine; people easily overlook those tiny things. Although it feels kinda useless, combined with my own physical condition, it's still enough.

Wuming said, with a calm expression amidst their shocked gazes, crushing the crystal pillar about the size of a single-handed sword hilt into fragments.

Hiss——————

This kind of power, if fully exerted, I'm afraid even bare-handed against a person could easily kill the opponent.

Andong almost immediately, based on the girl's earlier performance, calculated the effect of a full-force attack under these conditions.

Heh~ Plan succeeded.

Watching them carefully examine the sodium chloride crystal that Wuming had restored to its original state, she also let out a slight sigh of relief in her heart.

The finest deception is to deceive even one's own people.

Wuming will not fully reveal everything to anyone; she still has her own judgment criteria, and for those people she will weigh in communication how much information to tell them.

Through simple verbal guidance, Wuming successfully made several people believe that her special traits were her physical condition and the sodium chloride crystal.

"Ok~, then let's put it down for now. Chatting and such is pretty much done; next we probably have another ten or so hours, if there's no way to pass the time, how about taking a nap?" Wuming snapped her fingers, making the crystal pillar "disappear" right before their eyes.

That's fine.

Hey~ taking a nap, senior, will you sleep together with me?

Marulsa, don't do that, the senior will get angry.

I'll go find my own sleeping bag.

No way~ Also, although the mission is heavy, there's still a place to sleep; after all, there are only a few people, the rear section of the cabin has been converted into bunks, first come first served~.

With a light snort, Wuming immediately got up and rushed toward the rear cabin area.

(This semester I have to work on a thesis, time is tight and the workload is heavy; I've been absent updating for so long, really sorry waa waa waa waa).