Chapter 281: 287. Chapter 287: Hand It Over!

287. Chapter 287: Hand It Over!

"Find a way to raise her!"

Mo Li's expression was complex. After a long silence, she said, "Raise her well! If Christina can't come back, at least raise her until I finish my advanced studies."

Of the five boys and girls who had walked out of the Quete Archipelago back then, Chris had died early on, Christina had met with misfortune, and Jimny hadn't been able to hold on, dying in a stifling, miserable way.

Christina had finally managed to take her revenge and had exhausted all her efforts to protect her daughter, yet she hadn't reached the end of her suffering. Now, she had encountered some unknown situation and needed to entrust her child to Lin Ke.

A hemp rope always breaks at the thinnest point; misfortune always finds the miserable.

The different life paths they had taken truly made Mo Li sigh with emotion.

At the same time, there was a faint sense of relief in the depths of Mo Li's heart.

She was relieved about the choices she had made in the past, starting from the decision to enter the Riverside Academy, and many of the choices that followed.

"Yes, Big Sister."

Even though Betty didn't quite know how to raise a baby girl only a few months old, she still agreed decisively.

After hanging up the cross-boundary encrypted communication, Betty thought it over carefully and decided to arrange for the quiet, cute little baby girl in front of her through the channels of the "Do Whatever Is Free" group.

One must learn to make good use of the team's strength; this was something the Big Boss had told them before.

Closing the lid of the life-support box, Betty picked up the box and went downstairs, driving straight to the headquarters.

"Eh, Betty, why are you back again? Did you forget something? Tell me, and I'll help you bring it over."

Dije happened to be going out to handle some business and ran into Betty at the entrance of the headquarters. He immediately greeted her enthusiastically, "There's no need to make another trip; how troublesome!"

"Hmph!"

Betty rolled her eyes. She didn't even bother to acknowledge Dije Finley—who had to bring Mina Havcheck along no matter where he went to work—and walked straight into the headquarters.

"Still haven't cooled off? How long has it been?"

Dije watched Betty's retreating back, which didn't pause for a moment, and scratched his head, truly not knowing what to do.

To tell the truth, up until now, he still hadn't figured out why Betty's attitude toward him was so different.

After joining "Do Whatever Is Free," Mina Havcheck, who had always been diligent and focused on handling intelligence work, watched this scene unfold with no ripples in her heart.

She had no intentions toward Dije and had never flirted with him, so she felt completely guiltless.

Betty only targeted the oblivious Dije; she never directed her anger at Mina, nor did she unite with other members to isolate Mina.

Therefore, Mina watched the show with peace of mind and never let the fire burn her.

She had never even thought about reminding her "superior," Dije, why Betty was angry at him.

What if she put in the effort and got no thanks for it?

"Let's go, let's take a turn around the South District."

Only when Betty's figure was no longer visible did Dije remember his real business, "I don't know what's going on lately; the City Defense Bureau and the Police Bureau seem to have gone blind, letting so many spies from Shadow City and Mesopotamia University in. Whatever they are doing, it's best they don't get us involved!"

Mina said indifferently, "They've already involved us. The latest news is that someone was hanging around our foundry yesterday, scouting the location."

"What are they trying to spy on? Potions? Tea leaves? Or the tea drinks?"

While walking toward the 2nd-Ring transportation vehicle gifted by the Big Boss, Dije asked, "Can you find a way to have someone probe the bottom of this?"

Mina shook her head, "The other party are all veterans; they are very vigilant and haven't left behind any points we can exploit."

"Is that so?"

Dije thought about it carefully and ordered, "Notify the other departments of this news; everyone must heighten their vigilance."

"Understood."

Mina nodded in agreement.

By this time, the two had already walked to the vicinity of Dije's 2nd-Ring vehicle, sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat, one on each side.

Betty, standing in the upstairs corridor, watched through the glass window as Dije drove Mina away from the headquarters and sighed.

Could she be considered the person who understood Sage Celine the best?

However, this kid Dije was still far worse than Sage Paro had been back then.

After sighing, Betty turned around and carried the life-support box straight to the Deputy General Manager's office.

Knock, knock, knock.

After knocking on the door a few times, Betty pushed it open and walked in.

"Something up?"

Lynn pulled his attention away from the documents and looked up at Betty.

"Mm."

Betty lifted the life-support box and shook it gently, "A troublesome matter. I'm too lazy to talk about it; take a look for yourself."

As she spoke, Betty placed the life-support box on the desk and pushed it in front of Lynn.

"Alright."

Lynn replied, opened the lid of the life-support box, and saw the little baby girl blinking her dark, round eyes, staying quiet without crying or making a fuss.

Picking up the envelope on the baby girl's swaddling clothes, he took out the letter and read it carefully once. Lynn asked, "Does the Big Boss or Big Sister have any instructions?"

Since the letter had already been opened, it proved that before Betty returned to headquarters, she had already contacted the Big Boss and/or Big Sister and had received permission and instructions.

"Big Sister instructed us to find a way to raise her, raise her well, and raise her until she finishes her advanced studies, if Christina can't come back."

Betty relayed Mo Li's original words.

"Emmm..."

Lynn pondered for a while, considering that the vast majority of the members of "Do Whatever Is Free" were on the younger side.

It was good enough if they could take care of themselves; one couldn't hope that they had the ability to raise a baby girl only a few months old well.

However, there really was a suitable candidate worth entrusting her to.

"Follow me."

After thinking about it, Lynn stood up, picked up the life-support box, and walked toward the office next door.

Betty followed immediately.

Knocking open the door to the General Manager's office, Lynn and Betty entered.

Asande looked at the open life-support box in Lynn's hand and at the cute little baby girl lying inside. He was stunned for a moment and asked, "Whose is it?"

Lynn handed over the letter in his hand and explained, "The Big Boss's fellow villager ran into trouble and is entrusting her to us."

Asande read the contents of the letter once and began to mutter to himself, "Shadow City?"

He suddenly remembered a piece of news he had received a few days ago.

Shadow City was suspected of having discovered a relatively special world and had organized a group of Level 1 Wizards to go and reclaim it.

The number of other worlds discovered by the Wizard World that could be reclaimed every year was as numerous as the hairs on an ox.

Not to mention the low-level civilization worlds that could be reclaimed by Level 1 Wizards alone; they were simply not worth mentioning.

But there is no smoke without fire.

Shadow City was reclaiming a low-level civilization world, yet the news had managed to reach Riverside City.

That world being reclaimed was clearly not ordinary.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, this person named Christina should have been the one conscripted to that low-level civilization world to participate in the reclamation.

Coming back to his senses, Asande looked at the boy and girl in front of him, who didn't look immature but had young faces, and immediately understood the meaning of bringing the little baby girl to him.

This was coming to find a "milk dad."

"You guys go back first; I'll handle this."

Asande did not hesitate and decisively took over the matter.

"Sorry for the trouble."

Lynn said a polite phrase and took Betty away from the General Manager's office.

Teasing the quiet little baby girl a few times, Asande took out his portable smart brain and contacted Renee, who hadn't returned to the Academy Headquarters yet.

"Why did you think of looking for me at this time?"

The day after the wedding, Asande returned to "Do Whatever Is Free" to work, and Renee hadn't been idle either; she was currently accompanying Sage Celine to inspect the industries.

There were both Sage Celine's personal industries and new industries that Ella had founded and purchased in the name of the Pharmacy Research Group with Sage Celine's permission.

"Do you have time? Come over here."

Asande pointed the camera at the little baby girl and the opened letter, "Look, what is this?"

Renee looked at the little baby girl appearing on the screen and immediately let out an exclamation, "Wow! What a cute little baby!"

After calling out, Renee then noticed the three lines of text on the letter.

"Is this prepared for us to raise?"

Renee asked with a hint of hope.

Even if she had to return to the Academy Headquarters tomorrow, she actually couldn't bring the little baby girl along and hand her over to Lin Ke and Mo Li.

Outsiders who wanted to enter the Academy Headquarters had to go through approval and consent; the process was very cumbersome.

Given the little baby girl's situation, she basically wouldn't be granted permission.

Therefore, Asande showing her the little baby girl clearly meant he had intentions in this regard.

"Do you want to raise her?"

Asande asked with a smile.

"I do!"

Renee replied affirmatively immediately.

"Then we'll raise her!"

Asande decisively made the decision, "I'll bring her back right now."

"Alright, I'll go home in a while."

Renee replied with a face full of excitement.

The two hung up the communication.

Asande finished up the work at hand and brought the little baby girl home.

Yesterday, after the wedding was held, while resting in the evening, the two had even been daydreaming about when they could have a child.

Both of them were already Level 3 Wizards; wanting a child was not easy.

Especially in the current situation, where both were striving in their own ways, their time for "making" a child was not abundant.

It was truly fate; today, a little baby girl had arrived for them to adopt.

What?

No blood relationship?

It was adoption anyway; what need was there for a blood relationship?

Academy Headquarters.

Lin Ke returned after finishing the "Construct" project in the Fairy World and found Mo Li sitting in the living room, her brows tightly furrowed.

Seeing this expression, he knew something must have happened.

"What's wrong?"

Walking over and sitting down beside Mo Li, Lin Ke asked softly, "Tell me about it?"

Hearing this, Mo Li told Lin Ke everything about Christina entrusting her child to them and the little baby girl being adopted by Asande and Renee.

"Hmm?"

After listening to Mo Li's account, Lin Ke's brows also furrowed.

Yesterday, upon returning to the native world, Lin Ke had specifically sent an email to Christina, asking about the situation of the mother and daughter.

As a result, he hadn't received a reply.

Today, he had been entrusted with her child!

"Let Asande and the others raise her for now."

After thinking for a while, Lin Ke made a decision, "In my personal name, allocate a sum of Magic Stones to Asande as child-rearing expenses." "Mm."

Mo Li nodded, not rushing to pay the money herself.

Whether Lin Ke paid or she paid, there was no difference.

Anyway, Lin Ke's income was currently being managed by her.

"Let's not think about this matter for now; just leave it at that."

Lin Ke took a deep breath, suppressing the matter of Christina entrusting her child to them, and also hoped that Mo Li would stop thinking about it.

It was useless to overthink such things that were beyond one's reach and power; it was better to focus on oneself.

"Mm."

Mo Li nodded, stood up, and walked toward the dining room, "Let's eat."

Dinner began in an atmosphere of silence and ended in an atmosphere of silence.

After finishing dinner, Mo Li didn't chat or drink tea with Lin Ke but went straight upstairs and returned to the bedroom.

Her mood had fluctuated quite a bit over the past two days; it was better to stay by herself for a while to regulate her mood.

Lin Ke entered the study and took out the Zerg Evolution Radiation Source that the Smart Butler had received on his behalf and placed in the study's safe.

From placing the order to shipping, and then to delivery, it had taken nearly two months.

If this speed were in Lin Ke's past life, he would have been roasted to death!

Taking a box the size of a 14-inch laptop out of the safe, he opened it to reveal a full hundred fingernail-sized Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources inside. The "Small World" immediately emitted a palpitation.

"Flandre."

To prevent any accidents, Lin Ke called out in his heart.

"Alright, Master."

Flandre replied sweetly, then complained, "Flandre will definitely protect Master's precious tea trees well. I don't know why Master likes to drink these bitter and astringent things."

"If you drink it a few more times, you'll slowly come to like it."

Lin Ke advised with a straight face.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it; as soon as this matter was brought up, Flandre remembered the experience of being tricked by Lin Ke last time into tasting Rock Tea with her Master.

That kind of bitterness and astringency, that indescribable discomfort, immediately triggered a physiological reaction.

Facts proved that Flandre's essence was vastly different from the humans of the Wizard World.

The tea leaves that Lin Ke cultivated, planted, and stir-fried based on the taste buds of humans in the Wizard World were not suitable for a creature like Flandre.

"Master is so annoying!"

Flandre put her hands on her hips and glared fiercely at the sky before going off unhappily to protect all the tea trees.

In case the "Small World" absorbed enough Zerg Evolution Radiation Source and underwent a qualitative change again, changing the environment and landscape, the tea trees wouldn't be damaged.

Seeing that Flandre was prepared, Lin Ke took all one hundred Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources into the "Small World."

Just like last time, the Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources divided into two parts and headed in two directions.

The heavy and turbid substance sank into the ground, while the light and clear virtual energy floated toward the Great Sun.

Then, the old scene repeated itself.

In his Sea of Consciousness, within the "Solar System" celestial structure of the "Great Universe Meditation Method," the "Sun"—mainly formed by the favor of the Wizard World's Will—generated an irresistible attractive force.

It snatched the light and clear virtual energy away from the Great Sun of the "Small World."

A full one hundred Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources were each absorbed and digested by the "Small World" and the "Sun" in the Sea of Consciousness in an instant.

Let alone burping, they didn't even splash a ripple.

Fortunately, Lin Ke had been prepared and took another box out of the safe.

He had ordered a full 500 Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources!

The Beast-Taming Wizard organization in the Northern Territory that sold Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources had specifically sent a letter to the Riverside Academy to confirm that Lin Ke was a member of the Academy before arranging the shipment.

Box after box.

It wasn't until the "Small World" and the "Sun" in the Sea of Consciousness had shared four and a half boxes, a total of 485 Zerg Evolution Radiation Sources, that the accumulation of quantitative changes finally promoted the occurrence of a qualitative change.

The gravity of the "Small World" was completely formed, and the fourth evolution was declared completely finished; it was no longer in the "fake full" state described by Flandre.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the celestial structure of the "Great Universe Meditation Method" underwent an even more astonishing change.

The "Sun," mainly formed by the favor of the Wizard World's Will, had already absorbed many good things, such as the rune structure of the "Water-Wood Mutual Generation Meditation Method" and the "radiation" concept of promoting life evolution from this Zerg Evolution Radiation Source, yet it was still not satisfied.

A powerful suction force that Lin Ke had never felt before was generated from the core of the "Sun," searching everywhere in the Sea of Consciousness, wanting to find what the "Sun" needed.

Wherever the powerful suction force passed, even the already-formed "Solar System" celestial structure became deformed.

Even though it quickly returned to its original state, this process felt as if a stick was churning up the river and sea inside Lin Ke's brain; it was extremely uncomfortable.

Forcibly enduring it for a while, seeing that the "Sun's" powerful suction force refused to give up, and because it couldn't find what it needed, it had a tendency to increase the suction force, Lin Ke simply operated the "Brain Seal Technique" with all his might, preparing to shield the strange feeling in his Sea of Consciousness.

A sudden change occurred!

At the very moment Lin Ke operated the "Brain Seal Technique."

The "Sun" seemed like a leopard that had been lurking for a long time and finally discovered its prey; the powerful suction force was like the leopard's sharp fangs, fiercely biting onto the "Brain Seal Technique"!

The System Panel, which hadn't appeared for a long time, emerged in Lin Ke's field of vision.

It issued a screen-filling warning in crimson font.

【Error command!】

【Error command!】

【Forced sleep program activated!】

【Forced sleep program activating...】

【Forced sleep program activation failed!】

【Error command!】

【Error command!】

【Execution refused!】

【Execution refused!】

【Refusing...】

In less than a second, the System issued more than a dozen prompts in succession.

Lin Ke seemed to hear a "zizz" sound; the System Panel suddenly dissipated, stopped filling the screen, and returned to calm.

It was as if it had never appeared at all.

The "Sun's" powerful suction force rolled up something unknown and returned at high speed.

A moment later, all the celestial structures in the "Solar System" in the Sea of Consciousness—planets, dwarf planets, satellites, comets, etc. —all collapsed toward the "Sun."

The "Sun" suddenly emitted a burst of dazzling light and exploded with a "Boom."

The dazzling light dissipated, and the Sea of Consciousness was empty; the "Solar System" was nowhere to be seen.

Only a tiny black dot of light remained in the position of the "Sun."

"Master, Master, save me! Quickly save me!"

Flandre's voice sounded in Lin Ke's heart, very panicked.

He didn't know what had happened to the "Small World" that could actually endanger Flandre, who was the "World Spirit"!

Lin Ke, who had lost the ability to think from the moment the "Sun"—mainly formed by the favor of the Wizard World's Will—bit onto the "Brain Seal Technique," returned to normal in time.

At the instant Flandre's voice sounded, he summoned Flandre from the "Small World" to the real world.

This process would inevitably pass through the Sea of Consciousness.

Just as the passage between the "Small World" and the Sea of Consciousness opened, the black dot of light that the "Solar System" had collapsed into drilled in at a speed Lin Ke couldn't intercept at all.

"Phew! You scared Flandre to death!"

Having survived a brush with death, Flandre, who was still feeling lingering fear, patted her little chest hard, calmed her emotions, and immediately complained, "Master, what are you doing? The 'Small World's' sun exploded; Flandre was almost blown to death!"

"I don't know yet; wait a little longer."

Lin Ke's expression was solemn; he was also feeling lingering fear.

He could feel that the drastic changes in the Sea of Consciousness and the drastic changes in the "Small World" posed no harm to him.

However, from the moment the "Sun"—mainly formed by the favor of the Wizard World's Will—generated the powerful suction force, the feeling that the direction of things was beyond Lin Ke's control was not pleasant.

"Eh!"

Flandre bounced a few times, pinched her own arms, sniffed, and exclaimed, "Master, Master, the real world no longer repels me! What is going on?"

In the past, although Lin Ke could summon Flandre to the real world, and Flandre could move freely in the real world.

However, whether it was the Wizard World or the Fairy World that had been infected by the Wizard World's Will, there was a faint repulsive force acting on Flandre.

As long as Flandre did something out of line, such as launching a fatal attack or destroying the natural environment, she would be expelled immediately.

On the contrary, there was no repulsive force in the Special Ruin World or the Level 3 Zerg World.

Now, Flandre no longer sensed the repulsive force of the Academy Headquarters world; what did this mean?

It meant that Lin Ke's "Small World" had been completely incorporated into the system of the Wizard World's Will!

As the "World Spirit" of the "Small World," Flandre naturally no longer counted as an outsider and would no longer be repelled.

The changes regarding the "Small World" and Flandre flashed through Lin Ke's mind, and Lin Ke stopped focusing on them.

The only two things he wanted to figure out most right now were:

First, how the "Great Universe Meditation Method" should proceed, and second, what exactly the System had been snatched away by the "Sun," or rather, the favor of the Wizard World's Will.

The Sea of Consciousness hadn't completely calmed down yet, so he would put the meditation method aside for now.

"System."

Lin Ke called out softly in his heart.

The simple and unadorned System Panel emerged quietly, just as usual.

【Lin Ke Grand

Wizard Aptitude: Unknown, Full-Element Affinity

Wizard Level: Unknown; Mental Power: Unknown

0-Ring Wizardry: (Omitted)

Natal Wizardry: Battle Armor (Expandable)

1-Ring Wizardry: (Omitted)

2-Ring Wizardry: (Omitted)

Card Pack: None

Used: "Alchemy Mastery" Talent Card, "Wizardry Mastery" Talent Card, "Material Mastery" Talent Card

Card Draw Count: 0 (1 Standard Level 3 Magic Stone)】

After just one glance, Lin Ke discovered the changes in the System.

The "Brain Seal Technique" Learning Card and the "Multi-threaded Thinking" State Card were both gone.

Moreover, not only was the Wizard Aptitude "Unknown," but the Wizard Level and Mental Power had also become "Unknown"!

These few changes were very important, but what was even more important was the deep meaning reflected by the changes.

In front of the Wizard World's Will, the System was nothing!

Just two portions of the Wizard World's Will's favor, even if it perhaps utilized the status of the Wizard World's Will at the moment it bit onto the "Brain Seal Technique," were enough to snatch the "Brain Seal" Learning Card and the "Multi-threaded Thinking" State Card from the System!

"Finally, finally!"

Facing this fact, Lin Ke was not afraid but happy.

From the moment he learned of the power of the Wizard World's Will, Lin Ke had sensed that such a day would come.

Now that the shoe had dropped, there was no need to guess how it would land.

After confirming the changes in the System, Lin Ke turned his attention back to the Sea of Consciousness, the meditation method, and the "Small World."

As soon as his Mental Power entered the Sea of Consciousness, he was instantly dumbfounded.

The Sea of Consciousness was the "Small World," and the "Small World" was the Sea of Consciousness.

The two had merged into one! ===== CHAPTER 282 =====