Arknights' Lock of Heaven

“Oh, this is just a minor side effect of the [Simulated Gaia - Spiritual Particle Environment Modification System],” Xia Yu nodded upon hearing this, explaining as she brewed tea, “You see, maintaining such a large-scale spell can’t rely on me alone forever, right? It needs some self-sufficiency. Although constantly drawing free Originium particles from the atmosphere and environment cannot fully support the operation of the spell, it can reduce a lot of the energy pressure on the maintainer, right?”

"What they are experiencing are the side effects of this technology. As a doctor, you should know that so-called side effects are not necessarily bad, right?"

"Wait!" Upon hearing this, Aya couldn't sit still any longer, straining to open her ethereal eyes wide. "Does that mean that infected people can... just by living in such an environment?"

“It can’t cure the disease, at most it can slow down the rate of deterioration. According to the earth spirit’s calculations, if you live in a place shrouded in magic after infection, it is estimated that it will not deteriorate into a serious illness until you die of old age, but that’s all,” Xia Yu shook her head when she heard this, and pushed the brewed tea in front of Ya Ye, “Have a cup first, at least it will allow you to sleep peacefully for one night. You’ve worked hard today.”

Upon hearing this, Ya Ye didn't even blink. She picked up her teacup and chugged it down in a few gulps before slamming it down and looking at Xia Yu again.

“The technique can only maintain the concentration of Originium particles inside at an extremely low level. I can’t increase the effect any further,” Xia Yu shook her head. “As you know, many patients have developed organ lesions. Those infected on the surface of their bodies are okay; at most, they’ll be left with a big scar. But many more…”

“Losing an organ is a real problem; for us, it’s much more troublesome than treating Oripathy.”

“It’s best to keep the procedure as it is now. Otherwise, once it’s deployed, those critically ill patients will be identified as energy sources and drained. As for refining the procedure to distinguish between critically ill and ordinary infected individuals… I think it’s troublesome enough for the scholars to just figure out the principles. Let’s not add to their burden for now,” Xia Yu said, looking at her. “As for treatment, aren’t there inhibitors?”

"I'm sorry, I was reckless," Aya finally calmed down after hearing this, and then felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her.

“How can you blame yourself? You’re a doctor, you’re just thinking about the patients,” Xia Yu shook her head. “Now, my chief physician, look at how tired you are, you should go back and get some rest.”

Hearing this, Ya Ye stood up in a daze, said goodnight to Xia Yu, and staggered out of the office. She swayed all the way back to her dormitory and then fell asleep immediately.

Seeing that her tea had taken effect, Xia Yu nodded in satisfaction.

What? You're saying tea is for staying awake? Sorry, but if I say it's for helping you sleep, it'll become a sleep aid!

This wasn't prepared solely for Aya; she simply happened to be there.

The person who actually used this tea was someone else.

With that thought in mind, Xia Yu picked up the tea set, left the office, and headed down to the next floor.

As soon as Xia Yu reached the entrance of the research department, she noticed a slight fluctuation in the surrounding air.

Then he reached out and touched the lion scorpion's small head.

Xia Yu smiled slightly, then gently rubbed her lips. "You've had a hard time these past few days, but why weren't you inside?"

Hearing this, the manticore appeared from thin air, looking aggrieved, "It's... quiet here..."

It means it's too noisy inside... Well, it is a bit noisy.

"Okay, I didn't think it through," Xia Yu said, stroking her chin. "But it's not good for you to keep standing here like this. Hmm, I'll bring you a chair tomorrow?"

After he finished speaking, the manticore blinked and then nodded vigorously.

Standing guard is a tiring job.

But someone has to keep an eye on this place, since there's so much important information inside.

Even with himself and Skadi in the third shift, things weren't so easy. Look, even the captain himself was stationed here most of the time. The crew members all knew that if they wanted to find the captain, they would most likely not be able to find him in his office, but here they could find him almost anytime.

Ultimately, the problem is that there are too few usable people on the Orville, but what can be done? The Rhodes Island main ship is even more short-staffed... I heard that Kal'tsit even wrote to the Saints of Iberia in order to get manpower... Heaven knows how wide her network of connections is.

It might ease things a bit once we get to Patriots... Damn, according to Anton, they're even more short-staffed over there!

Sigh, let's take it slow and nurture it little by little.

With the lion scorpion in hand, Xia Yu pushed open the door to the research department.

"I can't figure it out! I can't figure it out!" A man in a Rhodes Island uniform threw down the file in his hand as soon as he entered, shouting hoarsely, "That data... how could that data be like this? It shouldn't be like this! It doesn't make sense!"

In his frenzy, he even knelt down on the spot and prayed, "God, where did I go wrong! Please give me a revelation!"

Those around him were used to it. Di Ling sighed, walked up to him, picked up the document, and glanced through it briefly.

"Go find Weixing; the information you have here is missing the part that she has."

"Huh? You mean I didn't miscalculate? Hahaha, I didn't miscalculate! I didn't miscalculate! The problem was with the question! I've lived up to my university diploma! Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, the researcher, who had just been greatly shocked, jumped up and rushed towards another operator named Microstar.

Seeing this, Di Ling sighed but didn't say anything to remind her that this wasn't an exam or any questions.

After all, I've seen it all before, because everyone's going crazy.

She herself even wanted to indulge herself like that... if only she weren't too embarrassed...

What else could I do? I had no experience managing an entire lab; I was always the one being handled by others. Add to that this… unfamiliar knowledge, and the difficulty was simply mind-numbing… My hair was falling out in clumps. If it weren't for the consultant's miraculous intervention… ha, by the time I got back to Rhodes Island, there would probably be a whole lab full of bald guys.

Thinking of this, she wearily raised her head and then looked at Xia Yu at the door.

See, I told you we can't blame the manticore and Titi for not liking to stay inside, right?

"Ah, my captain, is there any new information?" she asked casually, looking at Xia Yu holding a tray.

“No, it’s just that we have a new version of the hair growth potion we were researching before,” Xia Yu said seriously, “so I’m here to let you try it out.”

Huh? Upon hearing this, everyone in the lab turned around. There's no way around it; both men and women care a lot about their beautiful hair, especially after joining this research project. Every morning when they wake up and see clumps of hair on their pillow, it's truly heartbreaking.

If there were no other choice, who would want to be bald?

Even Eyjafjalla was no exception; eager to try, she put down her work and stepped forward.

"This is an improved version of an ancient secret recipe from Yan Kingdom," Xia Yu said, pouring a cup for everyone in a disposable paper cup while making up a story without batting an eye. "It promotes hair growth, treats endocrine disorders, whitens and moisturizes the skin, and prevents chronic diseases..."

Seeing that everyone was drinking it without hesitation, he slowly added, "It also has the effect of helping with sleep."

"Wait? You said help... what..." A researcher looked up, then a wave of drowsiness washed over him, his eyes glazed over. "I haven't finished calculating yet, I'm almost there..."

Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed on the spot with a thud.

Eyjafjalla, who had just finished a drink in front of Xia Yu, immediately turned to look at him, then felt herself swaying and let out a mournful cry, "I haven't..."

He died peacefully on the spot before he could finish speaking.

Xia Yu gently caught her, and the bodies of the researchers who had fallen around them seemed to be gently held up by the wind, floating in the research room as if weightless.

As a result, they slept even better.

Seeing this, Xia Yu nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the last person.

Di Ling looked up at her colleagues floating in the sky, then looked down at the tea she hadn't had a chance to drink yet, then looked up again, then looked down again.

Finally, she looked at Xia Yu and said, "Captain, it doesn't have to be like this..."

"Absolutely!" Hearing this, the latter rolled her eyes and pointed to the clock in the lab. "Look at what time it is! Sister, it's 3:30 in the morning!"

"While I am deeply moved by your enthusiasm for research, there should be limits, right? Especially considering that most of you suffer from Oripathy, do you understand the importance of regular sleep patterns? The medical department has already complained to me about this!"

“There’s nothing we can do. The new data is right in front of us,” Di Ling sighed. He wanted to argue, but seeing Xia Yuna’s “keep talking and try it” look, he could only helplessly raise his teacup and drink it all in one gulp.

Then, just like everyone else, he simply lay down and went to sleep.

Looking at the room full of flying people, Xia Yu nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the timid Lion Scorpion behind her.

"Go and take her with you back home. There won't be any more night shifts!"

He said through gritted teeth, "From now on, I will seal off the lab every night to completely eliminate their overtime work!"

411 The Clash Between Reason and Emotion

Orville dormitory area

The guards on duty, weapons in hand, would occasionally glance across the passage, trying to guess what time the scholars would return to rest.

Are we going to have to stay up all night again? It's already past 3 a.m. The consultant already warned them last time.

Just as she was idly lost in thought, she heard footsteps coming from across the street.

Upon hearing this, the guards perked up, then lowered their ears in disappointment. Hmm, there was only one footstep…

It seems like he came back for something, probably just to pick something up, and then he has to go back to work overtime.

I just don't understand those scholars. If it were the boss forcing them to work overtime, I could join in the protest, but they were actually working overtime voluntarily... My God, even the consultant couldn't stand it anymore and repeatedly ordered a ban.

Unfortunately, the scholars don't seem to care much.

Lost in thought, Fang, an operator from Rhodes Island, sighed.

Flamebringer and Hibiscus each have their own tasks, while Kroos and Beagle are on the day shift, so I have to stand guard by myself...

Well, being alone is so boring. Shall we try to guess who's back?

Just as she was trying to pass the time, she saw the consultant walking over carrying something.

"Ah, Mr. Advisor," she greeted him quickly, then noticed that he was holding the sleeping Miss Eyjafjalla in his arms.

Although she should be addressed as captain according to her position, she and her companions were used to being called advisors, so they simply continued to use that title.

"This is..." Before she could even ask her question, the Lion Scorpion appeared behind Xia Yu.

Wow, it's the super rare Lion Scorpion Miss. Because this elusive operator is rarely seen, some people on Rhodes Island even consider it a stroke of good luck to be able to meet her.

Fen, naturally, was no exception.

But she soon realized something was wrong. The extremely rare Lion Scorpion Lady was also holding someone in her arms... Was that... the Earth Spirit Lady?

Upon seeing this, Finn was startled. Looking at the expressions of the two, well, Miss Lion Scorpion couldn't tell anything, but the consultant's expression was not good.

"Has there been an attack?" she rushed over. "Should I sound the alarm?"

"No, no, no, that's not true," Xia Yu quickly shook her head and explained, "I just put them to sleep."

"Sleep?" Fen was stunned for a moment when she heard this, and then she saw a long line of figures floating in mid-air following behind the two of them.

Looking at the group, there were about twenty people. Had the entire research department been wiped out?