Chapter 343: Daier's Metamorphosis

The environment of the Abyssal Observation Station is always restless.

Those walls composed of living stones will emit faint pulsing sounds when no one is paying attention.

The air is permeated with disinfectant and some kind of indescribable corrosive odor.

Luo En is conducting deep meditation, and the operation of "The Star Eater's Whispers" allows his consciousness to establish a subtle connection with distant stars.

The resonance of the Hermit Star and the Scholar Star forms a complex interweaving of light in his mind.

Every breath allows him to feel the fine flow of magic power injecting into the network.

"Gurgle."

A slight sound of water interrupts his meditation state.

It is not an ordinary sound of flowing water, but a deeper resonance, as if it were a call from an ancient ocean.

Luo En slowly opens his eyes and immediately detects the abnormal changes in the laboratory.

The crystal pool in the corner is emitting a soft blue light never seen before, and that light carries a sense of rhythmic life.

Ripples appear on the surface of the pool water, each accompanied by a rhythm close to a heartbeat.

The humidity in the air has clearly risen.

In the relatively dry environment of the observation station, one can actually smell the salty, fishy odor unique to the ocean.

"Master."

A sweet girl's call comes from the direction of the crystal pool.

The voice carries the laziness of just waking up, and a trace of shyness that is hard to detect.

Luo En turns to look, a bit surprised by the changes.

This is no longer the immature little sea siren he remembers.

Daier is sitting up slowly from the water, her silver long hair sliding down her shoulders like liquid.

Under the illumination of the magic crystal lamp, every strand of hair glitters with a luster like a pearl, as if condensed from moonlight.

Her appearance has completely broken away from the sense of greenness, presenting the eerie beauty unique to the sea siren tribe after adulthood.

"Have I slept for a long time?"

The sea siren girl asks softly, her voice carrying a strange sense of rhythm.

Every syllable creates ripples on the water surface, or sounds like a song coming from the distant sea.

"Three months."

Luo En's voice maintains its consistent calmness, but satisfaction is revealed in his eyes:

"It seems the effect of the metamorphosis exceeded expectations."

【Daier (Pure-blooded Sea Siren)

Bloodline Purity: Golden Ring 97% (already approaching the next level)

Status: Good, slightly hungry

Special Talent:

Big Eater (Second-tier talent, the more nutrition ingested, the faster the growth speed and the higher the potential limit; conversely, it inhibits development)

Potential Assessment: Fully developed, after ingesting sufficient nutritional substances, there is a greater possibility of stepping into the quasi-star-ring bloodline level】

He carefully observes the physical changes of Daier.

Every silver-blue scale is like a living gem, flickering slightly with her breathing.

"Master."

Daier wants to walk out of the water pool, but the changes in her body make her movements a bit clumsy.

Luo En walks to the edge of the water pool.

"Slow down, your body needs to adapt."

He reaches out his hand; Daier's fingers are slender and soft, and the touch carries the slippery texture unique to marine creatures.

When the sea siren stands up completely from the water, her body naturally converts into a human form, with slender and straight legs.

"Thank you."

Daier says in a low voice, her voice as thin as a mosquito's, and her cheeks flush with a faint red glow.

Only now does she realize the physical contact between her and her master, as well as the changes in her body.

Luo En notices the subtle changes in her emotions and responds simply:

"Bloodline awakening usually brings dual changes in body and psychology; how do you feel now?"

This slightly alienated professional attitude makes a sense of inexplicable loss surge in Daier's heart.

She originally expected that her master would show more... attention to her changes.

But reason tells her that this expectation itself is inappropriate.

"I feel... very different."

Daier tries hard to organize her emotions, trying to communicate with the other party in a more mature way:

"Not just changes in appearance, I can feel some kind of ancient power flowing in my body."

She reaches out her hand and brushes through the air.

Instantly, the air in the laboratory begins to flow regularly, forming a breeze vortex visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, the water in the crystal pool rises slowly under her unconscious guidance.

"Bloodline of the Primordial Sea... and the protection of the storm."

Daier says softly:

"In those dreams, I saw the origin of the sea siren tribe and saw the ancient contract we have with the ocean and the storm."

Her voice becomes more ethereal:

"I can now establish mental connections with most aquatic creatures; in aquatic environments, they will all become my partners."

As she speaks, she waves her hand gently, and the water flow in the air begins to change shape.

First it turns into a swimming fish, swimming flexibly in the air;

Then it turns into a jellyfish, tentacles swinging gracefully;

Finally, it condenses into a miniature sea dragon, lifelike.

The practical value of this ability is self-evident, especially in occasions where information collection is needed.

"Anything else?"

Luo En's inquiry carries the focus unique to a researcher.

Daier feels a subtle joy when hearing the master's interested tone.

Although that kind of attention is not what she longs for deep in her heart, at least the master recognizes her value.

"I can also do this..."

The sea siren leaps lightly into the air, and airflow begins to surround her body.

Those airflows support her like living things, allowing her to fly freely in the air.

Even more magically, her body begins to become semi-transparent, as if composed of water vapor and wind.

"In an environment rich in water elements, I can briefly elementalize my body and turn into the form of water."

As her voice falls, Daier's body disperses like flowing water, and then re-condenses into a human form in the air.

"If I combine the two abilities..."

Daier takes a deep breath, and the water vapor around her begins to gather rapidly.

Airflow and water vapor blend, forming a miniature storm cloud beside her.

"I can turn myself into a rainstorm and cross a very long distance in an instant."

A messenger capable of traveling freely between water and sky, also possessing elementalization and long-distance movement capabilities...

"A very perfect metamorphosis."

He evaluates concisely, but the satisfaction and appreciation in his eyes are obvious:

"The combination of these abilities has reached the bloodline limit of the sea siren."

Hearing the master's praise, an indescribable sense of happiness surges in Daier's heart.

But at the same time, she also keenly perceives the focus of the other party's attention.

He cares more about the practical value of these abilities than her own changes.

This realization makes a sense of inexplicable emptiness surge in her heart, but it also makes her have a clearer understanding of some kind of ignorant emotion.

She recalls the original Lilia, recalls the heat and longing in Lilia's eyes when looking at the master.

At that time, she did not understand that kind of emotion, but now she can deeply experience the feeling of pain and sweetness intertwined.

It's just that this emotion is too complex, too difficult to describe, and she doesn't know how to express it at all.

"Daier! You finally woke up!"

A voice full of surprise interrupts her thoughts.

Ailan floats over from the other end of the laboratory, her emerald branches swinging excitedly.

"Mother Ailan..."

Daier sees the tree spirit who raised her, her voice carrying the liveliness and intimacy unique to when facing Ailan.

"I thought you were going to sleep forever!"

Ailan circles Daier with concern, carefully observing her changes:

"My god, you have completely grown up! Is this the adult form of the sea siren?"

"Hmm... in the process of bloodline awakening, I experienced a complete metamorphosis from juvenile to adult."

The sea siren girl explains a bit shyly:

"Now I already possess all the talent abilities of the sea siren tribe."

"That's great!"

Ailan claps her branches excitedly:

"This period of time the laboratory has been so quiet that it's uncomfortable; sometimes I would still habitually prepare large portions of food suitable for you, and then remember you were still sleeping..."

"By the way, Master comes to see you every day."

The tree spirit continues, her voice carrying teasing:

"Sometimes when he is tired from work, he will sit by the water pool and stare blankly. I ask him what he is thinking, and he always says he is observing your metamorphosis progress, but I think..."

"Ahem."

Luo En coughs lightly, interrupting their exchange:

"Since Daier has fully recovered, I am going to start preparing to continue the experiment."

"What experiment?"

Daier immediately becomes energetic, curiosity burning in her eyes. "Pilot operation of the Adaptive Chaos Simulation Device."

Luo En explains concisely:

"This is a training system that integrates multi-disciplinary technologies, and your elemental perception ability might also help monitor the operating status of the equipment."

His attention has been completely occupied by the important experiment that is about to come.

Tomorrow's test is not only a technical verification but also a key step for him to establish his position in the Abyssal Observation Station.

………………

At 3:00 PM, the main experimental hall of the Abyssal Observation Station gathers an unprecedented crowd.

This core area, which only a few senior researchers can enter, is as lively as a market today.

Explorers gather in twos and threes, discussing the "special project" they are about to witness;

Researchers are more cautious, their recording equipment ready to capture any abnormal phenomena;

Even management personnel who rarely appear have appeared in the audience.

In the center of the experimental hall, a complex device is waiting quietly for its debut.

The appearance of this device is like an artwork born from a nightmare—beautiful and dangerous, precise and eerie.

The underlying support structure is interwoven with soul steel and abyssal active metal, forming a skeletal system with organic beauty.

The surfaces of those metals are not dull reflections, but like the skin of a living thing, presenting subtle color changes with the flow of internal energy.

The most eye-catching thing is the energy circuit covering the entire structure.

They meander on the metal surface like blood vessels, emitting silver-blue pulsing light.

Whenever energy passes through, these "blood vessels" will jump slightly, like real life signs.

The middle-layer neural network system is even more creepy.

Thousands of biological fibers thinner than hair squirm slightly in transparent pipes, their ends connected to complex consciousness processing nodes.

These fibers are not dead objects, but living nerve tissues cultivated specially.

Through the transparent pipe wall, one can see light green nutrient solution flowing on the surface of these nerve fibers.

Some tiny flashing particles are also floating inside, which are biological electrical phenomena produced by thinking activities.

The top-layer rune control system is the most mysterious part of the entire device.

Hundreds of complex three-dimensional runes are suspended in the air.

Each rune is rotating, deforming, and recombining at different frequencies, forming a dazzling three-dimensional kaleidoscope.

"Colleagues."

Luo En stands in front of the device, facing the gathered audience.

His voice reaches every corner of the experimental hall through magic power amplification:

"Today, we will witness an important breakthrough in the field of abyssal exploration."

Miller sits in the front row, his face full of expectation and doubt.

As a senior exploration captain, he knows very well the limitations of existing training methods:

"Ralph, to be honest, I am still a bit worried about this device of yours."

His voice carries the straightforwardness unique to explorers:

"We old guys have

"We old guys have seen too many new inventions that looked great but ended up costing lives. Can you guarantee this thing is really safe?"

Luo En appreciated Miller's pragmatic attitude and did not mind this questioning at all:

"Captain Miller, I understand your concerns. In fact, safety is our primary consideration during design."

He pointed to the rune array floating above the device:

"We have established a triple independent safety mechanism.

Physical-level emergency circuit breaking can cut off all energy supply within 0.1 seconds;

The spiritual-level anchoring system ensures that the user's consciousness will never completely detach from reality;

And there is a forced exit program; no matter what happens, it can pull the user's consciousness back to reality within three seconds."

Supervisor Wei En raised his hand, his half-petrified face full of worry:

"But... but directly manipulating human consciousness, this has already touched upon certain forbidden areas."

His voice carried deep unease:

"There are too many examples in history of disasters triggered by excessive pursuit of technological breakthroughs..."

A brief silence appeared in the experimental hall; Wei En's words touched upon the worries deep in many people's hearts.

"Supervisor Wei En."

Luo En's voice remained calm, but his words carried a questioning tone:

"I understand your concerns, but please think about the reality we face.

Every month, explorers lose their lives in the abyss due to insufficient preparation; isn't their death an even greater taboo?"

His words carried a convincing logic:

"Scientific progress is always accompanied by risks, but this does not mean we should stagnate.

The key lies in how to reasonably control these risks, rather than giving up the opportunity for progress because of fear."

Daier stood in a corner of the experimental hall, her golden eyes focused on monitoring the subtle changes in the air.

Through the mind link, she reported the observation results to Luo En:

"Master, the humidity distribution around the device is very uniform; no signs of energy leakage were found.

All magic power flows are within the preset parameter range."

"Very good."

Luo En nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the explorer who volunteered to be a tester:

"Lei Kesi, are you sure you want to proceed with the test?"

Lei Kesi was a senior member of Miller's squad, a bearded man in his thirties.

There was a deep scar on his left arm, a souvenir left from the last abyss exploration.

In the last few missions, his reaction speed and judgment ability had declined, and he just happened to need this targeted training.

"Since the captain trusts you, what else do I have to worry about?"

Lei Kesi laughed heartily, but his eyes still revealed a hint of nervousness:

"However, I must state first that if this thing messes up my brain, my family definitely won't let you off."

His words caused a burst of good-natured laughter, easing the tense atmosphere in the experimental hall.

"Then I must be doubly careful," Luo En also revealed a rare smile, following the other's lead:

"I don't want to help you raise your wife and children."

Once these words were out, the laughter in the hall connected into one.

Lei Kesi walked to the consciousness access station in the center of the device, which was a special chair that conformed to ergonomics.

The chair's surface was covered with a layer of breathing biological membrane, capable of automatically adjusting its shape according to the user's body contour.

When he sat down, the biological membrane began to gently wrap around his body.

Dozens of slender neural tentacles extended from the chair, accurately contacting his key neural nodes.

"How does it feel?"

Luo En asked, while monitoring various physiological parameters.

"A bit itchy, but not uncomfortable."

Lei Kesi answered truthfully: "It's like someone is gently stroking my skin."

"Very good, this shows that the neural access is working normally."

Luo En began to activate the various components of the system:

"Now I will start the consciousness access program. You will feel slight dizziness; this is a normal phenomenon.

Remember, this is just a simulation, not the real abyss."

With the startup of the system, the device began to emit a low and rhythmic rumbling sound.

The wriggling frequency of those neural fibers accelerated significantly, and the flashing particles in the nutrient solution became as active as fireflies.

The rune array began to reorganize rapidly, forming a complex three-dimensional monitoring network.

"Consciousness access started, target environment: Abyss second layer simulation area."

Luo En's voice became more professional:

"Danger level set to primary; the system will make real-time adjustments based on the tester's reactions."

Lei Kesi's eyelids began to become heavy; his consciousness was being guided into a brand-new world.

A moment later, his body completely relaxed, and his breathing became deep and regular.

Through the device's monitoring display, the audience could see the virtual experience he was undergoing.

The screen displayed the typical twisted scene of the second layer of the abyss.

Countless space vesicles of varying sizes floated slowly, each fragment containing a different ecological environment.

"This is the true environment of the second layer."

Captain Miller explained to the young explorer beside him:

"It looks chaotic, but it actually has its own rules. The key is to learn to adapt to this chaos."

On the screen, Lei Kesi's virtual image was cautiously moving between these space vesicles.

His movements were skilled; he was clearly an experienced explorer.

But soon, the first threat appeared.

A corrosion worm emerged from the void; its body was like a transparent jellyfish, but its interior was filled with acid.

This creature is one of the most common threats on the second layer of the abyss; they feed on corpses, but they also wouldn't refuse fresh flesh.

Lei Kesi immediately entered combat state; he pulled out the rune short sword at his waist and began to maneuver with this dangerous creature.

But to the audience's surprise, this virtual corrosion worm exhibited behavior patterns identical to real monsters.

Its attack timing, movement trajectory, and even reactions after being injured were exactly the same as in real situations.

"This level of realism..." a young researcher exclaimed:

"It's simply like moving a real monster into a virtual environment."

Even more impressive was the system's adaptive adjustment.

When Lei Kesi easily dealt with the first corrosion worm, the system immediately evaluated his ability level and increased the challenge difficulty accordingly.

A second corrosion worm appeared, then a third...

There even appeared an elite individual that was clearly more powerful, its body surface flashing with dangerous poisonous stings.

"The system is analyzing the tester's reaction speed, judgment ability, and combat skills in real time."

Luo En explained to the audience:

"It will continuously adjust the threat intensity to ensure that the training difficulty is always maintained at the best level.

It won't be too easy to make people let down their guard, nor will it be so difficult as to make people despair."

One hour later, the system determined that the training had reached the preset goal.

Lei Kesi's performance in the virtual environment was comprehensively evaluated, and his weak points were also accurately identified.

(End of chapter)