Chapter 123 A Nightmare

In the final strike of their brief exchange, Hao Ren retracted the rigid shield in time. He believed that the slight shimmer of light should have appeared to outsiders as mere reflections of sweat in the sunlight. But there was no doubt that Nolan noticed the instant abnormality: she had kicked a shield that was harder than titanium alloy.

Looking into Nolan's deep, serene eyes, Hao Ren felt a strange sense of being completely seen through. He couldn't believe he was facing a girl who was only seventeen or eighteen years old: the pressure in this girl's eyes was no less than that of Vivian when she was serious. But he quickly calmed down and pretended to be relaxed: "What are you talking about?"

"You're not good at changing the subject," Nolan said lightly. "What was that just now? That's not something bio-modification can do—and you're still a natural."

Hao Ren suddenly remembered that when encountering such a situation in novels, there seemed to be a universal excuse: "Then have you heard of internal martial arts like Qigong..."

He was about to say that he knew a hermit master and had exchanged a meal for a lifetime of unparalleled physical skills, but Nolan was even faster: "Qigong? I've heard of it. I've also fought so-called martial arts masters. They are indeed very powerful, but that was definitely not kung fu just now: I saw myself kicking a layer of light."

When Nolan said this, her expression was as wooden as a stone, completely unyielding. Hao Ren was immediately dumbfounded: why wasn't this universal excuse working? This person had actually beaten a Qigong master...

Moreover, Nolan's observation was also very detailed. The shield was directly exposed in front of her eyes, so it was obviously unrealistic to explain it as some kind of fighting technique. At least in this world's knowledge system, even if a fighting master strained themselves, they couldn't possibly conjure a shiny protective shield. So he shook his head: "Okay, actually, it's some kind of technological device, like a shield."

"Technological device?" Nolan finally frowned, obviously finding this more believable. "Why haven't I heard of it?"

"Who told naturals to be inherently weaker than evolvers?" Hao Ren, having found a direction, began to spout nonsense. "So my city-state is researching equipment that can enhance the survival ability of natural soldiers. I swiped a set when I left. But don't ask any further questions—we're not close enough yet. I can't give it to you."

While Hao Ren was making up stories, he was racking his brains for new explanations. He was prepared to use excuse number two if excuse number one didn't work, and excuse number three if excuse number two didn't work. If none of them worked, he would just turn around and leave. But he didn't expect Nolan not to dwell on this topic too much: "Oh, I see. So technology is still advancing..."

Hao Ren immediately swallowed the words "Actually, there's another reason" that were about to come out of his throat. At the same time, he was discussing with the data terminal in his mind: "Did you record Nolan's movements just now? Any conclusions?"

"Multiple sensing modules of this unit cannot be activated, so it is impossible to scan her energy fluctuations. We can only roughly determine that the battle just now was completely within the scope of ordinary people. Her strength and speed are human-level, but her skills and experience are almost at the peak of humanity—she seems to be familiar with any kind of fighting technique, and is experienced in fighting enemies stronger than herself."

"I also think she's simply suppressing with skill and experience," Hao Ren rarely agreed with the data terminal's view. "I didn't feel any supernatural phenomena just now. Nolan should have nothing to do with the Guardians. Her strength is within the human range, with at most a little bit of biochemical implant enhancement."

"But the problem is: she's only seventeen years old," the data terminal reminded. "This unit believes that even if she started practicing Ma Bu (horse stance) in the womb and was born doing Muay Thai, she shouldn't have this level of skill today. Do you believe that even if Lily came, and you brought their physical fitness to the same level, she wouldn't be her opponent?"

Hao Ren's heart tightened: "Is she that powerful?"

"This unit has recorded the combat data of each of you. The sensing device of this unit cannot be used now, but the calculation and simulation capabilities are still there."

Nolan noticed that Hao Ren was lost in thought, and casually asked, "What's wrong?"

"How can you be so powerful?" Hao Ren asked directly.

He knew that it would take a few more minutes for Nolan's injuries to recover. Even the powerful nanotechnology couldn't allow this girl to be fully healed in an instant. So these few minutes were his best chance to learn more about Nolan. Therefore, he simply asked whatever came to mind.

"Does being powerful need a reason?" Nolan glanced at Hao Ren indifferently.

Hao Ren shook his head: "Unless your combat skills were learned directly through a brain chip—but as far as I know, there is no such technology in the world. Even second-generation evolvers can only temporarily store book knowledge in their brains, but they can't directly turn it into their own experience. Where did your fighting skills come from?"

"I don't need to answer these questions," Nolan shook her body and stood up, seemingly losing interest in the conversation. "I have something to do, you..."

Hao Ren was stunned for a moment, and quickly called Nolan to stop: "Wait a minute, I have something for you, this—I found it in Hiddon's room."

As he spoke, he casually reached into his arms and handed over the Hiddon's diary that he had previously stored in his portable space. Nolan curiously took it: "What is this? Hiddon's diary?"

"Although I don't understand Hiddon, this probably contains the reason for his betrayal," Hao Ren pointed to the diary. "Turn to the last few pages."

Nolan frowned and opened the diary, casually read a few lines and closed it. A trace of haze seemed to flash across her face at that moment. She looked at Hao Ren: "Have you read the things on this?"

"I've read it," Hao Ren nodded frankly. "But I didn't understand it very well. It feels a bit like the ravings of a madman."

"Mad..." Nolan murmured to herself, "But perhaps, on the contrary, he was just too close to that sober world."

Hao Ren stared at Nolan: "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing, it doesn't have much to do with you," Nolan shook her head and put the diary away casually. "Thank you for bringing this, but don't tell others about this diary, it will cause unnecessary trouble."

After saying this, Nolan turned around and wanted to leave. Hao Ren called out from behind: "Do you know something?"

Nolan didn't answer. Hao Ren continued to ask from behind: "What does the nightmare Hiddon mentioned mean? Is it a mental influence or does it really exist? He said that this world is false, is there really a real world? You are..."

Nolan suddenly turned around and stared into Hao Ren's eyes: "Do you know what you were doing in your past life?"

Hao Ren was immediately confused by this inexplicable question and subconsciously replied: "This... who knows about their past life?"

The little bit of light that had just appeared in Nolan's eyes disappeared in an instant. She slowly turned her head: "You should know that it is unreliable to use fantasy to escape reality."

After saying this, the gray-haired girl left this place unsteadily without stopping.

Hao Ren watched Nolan's figure disappear, touched his chin and muttered to the data terminal: "Actually, I have some guesses now..."

"Reincarnation? Reset? Do you suspect that this world is constantly looping? Or do you suspect that Nolan is the spokesperson of the nanite swarm?" The data terminal knew what he was thinking, but it didn't think "guessing" was a good thing. "You can have a thousand guesses to explain what's happening in front of you, but before there is definite evidence, don't keep any guess in your mind for too long, they will only mislead you."

"I know, I still remember the inspector's manual," Hao Ren breathed a sigh of relief. "Section 7, Article 5 of the manual, 'Everything has an explanation, but don't explain anything until the truth is revealed.' Let's not talk about these things, let's go back and clean up your body."

The data terminal's frustrated voice immediately sounded: "This unit doesn't like this topic..."

Hao Ren rolled his eyes: "Stop complaining, you're just lying there, I'm the one who's really working!"

"This unit still doesn't like this topic," the data terminal sighed very humanely in Hao Ren's mind. "This unit is as beautiful as a flower, and who knows what you'll do if the law doesn't care."

Hao Ren: "...Damn you!!"

The two of them returned to the barracks while bickering in their minds. As expected, no one broke into the room during the day they were away.

Naturally, no one noticed that the corpse girl in the room had disappeared.

After Hao Ren entered the room, he looked around and saw the autonomous machine that he had left to guard the door. After being left here for a day, the latter seemed to be a little dazed. Hao Ren waved to it and the guy chirped and floated back into the portable space. Then Hao Ren threw the data terminal in the corpse girl state onto the bed again, preparing to check if this guy had changed compared to yesterday.

"Hey, wait a minute!" The data terminal shouted as soon as it was thrown out, "It seems... this unit saw something just now!"

Hao Ren realized the other party's change without the data terminal making a sound, because when he took the blonde girl out of the portable space just now, he watched her eyes blink lightly!