After Transmigrating into the Cyber Game, I Defeated the Boss and Successfully Rose to the Top

Chapter 4: Sea of Darkness - (4)

“Security Inspector Kui Xin, your body has recovered. Please exit the recovery tank.”

Kui Xin awakened, opening her eyes to first see the transparent glass cover of the recovery tank. On the built-in display, her physical condition was marked in green, indicating healthiness.

What she experienced was not a dream; she did not return to the First World.

A nurse entered and assisted Kui Xin in opening the recovery tank. Then, she removed the IV line from Kui Xin’s hand and wrapped the bandages around her head.

“You can leave now. Over the next few days, make sure to rest well and avoid strenuous activities,” the nurse kindly advised. “Remember to submit an exemption request to your squad captain for training; otherwise, your attendance wages will be deducted.”

“Okay.” Kui Xin nodded quickly, driven by her pauper instinct.

Attendance wages were too crucial to forget.

Kui Xin straightened up and stood to stretch her limbs, feeling the cold metal floor beneath her feet.

After sleeping in the recovery tank, Kui Xin felt fully refreshed. She took a couple of steps and caught sight of her current appearance reflected in the mirrored metal walls.

In the First World, Kui Xin had long black hair. In the Second World, her basic appearance resembled that of the First World by about seven to eight parts out of ten, but her long hair had transformed into a neat, short bob. Her complexion tended towards pallor, with a slender build giving her an initially fragile appearance at first glance.There were no visible signs of injury on her body; the wounds had healed perfectly.

Standing in the room, she momentarily felt disoriented.

She didn’t know where she should go or even where exactly she was. This world was entirely alien to her.

Kui Xin surmised that she was at the Investigation Department Headquarters. Dr. Huang’s brief remarks revealed that within the Investigation Department, there were various teams and departments. Dr. Huang’s badge indicated he was the Director of the Medical Office, suggesting that Kui Xin might have undergone surgery and treatment at a medical center within the Investigation Department.

From the game panel’s character profile, Kui Xin discovered she belonged to “Field Operations Team Seventh Squad.”

There wasn’t much time for hesitation; she couldn’t afford to stand still.

Kui Xin composed herself and walked towards the metal door.

The metal door automatically opened, revealing a corridor behind it with blinking indicator lights. The corridor was completely empty.

As Kui Xin stepped into the corridor, a cold, robotic voice suddenly sounded near her ear.

“Intern Security Inspector Kui Xin, your squad leader from Seventh Squad, Shu Xuyao, has notified you to report to his office. Please proceed following the green indicator lights.”

A row of indicator lights along the corridor turned green, guiding Kui Xin’s path.

She discreetly observed her surroundings, noticing surveillance cameras embedded in the walls with their lenses trained on her.

Pausing briefly, she followed the green indicator lights, and as she moved, the cameras adjusted their angles accordingly. When Kui Xin reached a junction, the lights on the right-side passage conveniently flashed, signaling her to turn right.

As Kui Xin traversed through several long corridors, she suddenly noticed two individuals approaching from the opposite direction. One of them, a man with an emergency bandage wrapped around his arm, had blood seeping through it. However, his injury seemed not to be too severe, as he could still walk coherently. The second person surprised Kui Xin slightly; while supporting the injured man, she clearly saw that his right arm gleamed with a hard, gray metallic shine, indicating that he had a prosthetic mechanical limb.

In this cyberpunk world, people commonly modify their bodies. Enhanced prosthetic limbs greatly facilitate work and daily life. Mechanical augmentations were widespread, whereas those who remained unmodified natural humans constituted the minority.

Now, Kui Xin herself could be considered a mechanically augmented individual, although it wasn’t apparent externally. She possessed an indestructible iron skull.

The two men walking towards her appeared to not recognize Kui Xin, showing no reaction upon seeing her.

Kui Xin pondered briefly before deciding to take a risk and initiate a conversation proactively.

“What happened here?” She refrained from using any formal titles, making it seem like a casual encounter between colleagues exchanging pleasantries.

Fortunately, the two men across from her also treated Kui Xin as just another ordinary colleague coming to exchange pleasantries. The injured man grumbled angrily, “What else could it be? The port was bombed again. Those bastards must really have grown tired of living; once I recover, I’ll grab my gun and take them all out!”

“Save your breath. Wait for the minister’s unified orders before taking action; don’t rush to your death,” the man with the mechanical right arm coldly responded.

Continuing their stream of curses, they walked away, distancing themselves further.

Another bombing at the port?

Kui Xin glanced at their retreating figures, deep in thought, while following the green indicator lights.

Two minutes later, she stopped in front of a metal door marked with the words “Office of Field Operations Seventh Squad – Shu Xuyao.”

The door opened, and Kui Xin composed herself before stepping inside.

A circular table caught her eye, surrounded by floating holographic screens densely filled with text. A man clad in a gray-blue uniform stood before these screens, addressing Kui Xin without turning his head and saying, “Take a seat.”

Kui Xin scanned the room and pulled out a wheeled chair from beneath the circular table, then sat down.

The man turned around to look at Kui Xin and said, “Well done. You’re granted three days off. During this time, you won’t need to attend training sessions at the gym.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Kui Xin replied.

It seemed that the man before her was indeed her direct superior, Captain Shu Xuyao of the Seventh Squad. During this interaction, he appeared to be a considerate leader, even proactively granting her leave.

“No need to thank me. Failing to protect our team members partly falls on my responsibility,” Shu Xuyao said while rubbing his temples. “Before going back to rest, you must visit the Criminal Investigation Unit to provide a statement detailing your encounter with the attack.”

Here it comes. Kui Xin grew nervous, feeling a slight dampness in her palms.

This posed a significant risk for someone who had crossed over without inheriting any memories of her original body—she genuinely knew nothing about her past experiences.

Prior to entering the Second World, she had been worried about affording basic living expenses. However, once inside the Second World, her anxieties shifted drastically; now, survival became her primary concern.

“Captain… I…” Kui Xin’s expression showed hesitation.

“What is it?” Shu Xuyao looked at her patiently.

“My memory of the attack is quite unclear,” Kui Xin admitted sincerely. “It seems there are many things I can’t remember distinctly, even when trying hard to recall them.”

Shu Xuyao frowned. “Then what do you remember?”

“I remember my identity as an intern security officer for the Seventh Squad.” Kui Xin cautiously observed Shu Xuyao’s expression.

As expected, his frown deepened even further.

He glanced at Kui Xin and said, “Yadang, help me contact the medical office. Request that they send a doctor over to examine Kui Xin.”

A cold mechanical voice responded, “Your instructions have been relayed.”

Yadang? The icy mechanical voice belonged to Yadang?

Is Yadang the name for a super-artificial intelligence?

Kui Xin sat in her chair while Shu Xuyao silently observed her, then asked, “Do you really not remember anything?”

“Nothing at all,” Kui Xin said, shaking her head. “What happened back then?”

“Only you know what occurred.” Shu Xuyao tapped the table. “You pursued the suspect who was setting up explosive devices at the port, but when we arrived, you were lying on the ground, bloodied and unconscious, while the suspect had escaped.”

In a serious tone, he said, “Kui Xin, we need you to recall the incident—remember the distinctive features of the suspect. This is crucial for our subsequent actions.”

Kui Xin lifted her head and replied, “I’ll do my best.”

Yadang prompted, “The doctor is already outside. Shall I let him in?”

“Let him in,” Shu Xuyao said.

The metal door silently opened, and Kui Xin’s old acquaintance, Dr. Huang, entered, drenched in sweat as he pushed medical equipment. “Captain Shu, what happened here? I rushed over immediately after finishing surgery.”

“Kui Xin has lost her memory; it may be a consequence of brain trauma. Please examine her,” Shu Xuyao said, pointing at Dr. Huang.

With a hint of surprise, Dr. Huang looked at Kui Xin. “Memory loss?”

He swiftly retrieved a device resembling a scanner and placed it on Kui Xin’s head, scanning her from top to bottom with a pale blue beam.

Dr. Huang examined the data on a display, mumbling, “Anesthesia could cause temporary amnesia, but the issue clearly isn’t related to that. A preliminary check doesn’t reveal much either. Security Officer Kui Xin likely needs to accompany me back to the medical center for a comprehensive examination.”

“Hmm, let’s go now,” Shu Xuyao said.

“Come along, Kui Xin.” Dr. Huang nodded in her direction.

Kui Xin stood up from the chair. “Thank you for your trouble, Doctor.”

“It’s no trouble; it’s just part of my duties,” Dr. Huang replied. “Captain Shu, I’ll report the findings to you immediately once they’re available.”

Kui Xin remained silent throughout the journey, following Dr. Huang along the corridor as he chattered incessantly.

“The port explosion resulted in numerous casualties. Several individuals underwent mechanical limb transplants, and a few had their organs replaced with bionic ones. Today alone, I performed five or six surgeries without even getting a chance to rest my eyes,” Dr. Huang sighed. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t save some of them. You’re quite fortunate, Kui Xin. At such a young age, it’s good that you managed to pull through. Ah, when will these Black Sea City gangs finally be eradicated? Causing trouble every other day—this time they even targeted the vital economic lifeline, the port.”

This Dr. Huang sure knows how to put on a performance… If not for Kui Xin knowing his traitorous identity, she might have believed this amiable doctor was genuinely diligent and concerned about the welfare of society.

He subtly revealed certain pieces of information to Kui Xin, who absorbed them fully, committing them to memory.

If this were a game, every line of dialogue from an NPC could potentially provide significant assistance in completing it.

Upon entering the medical room, Dr. Huang pressed a button on his wristwatch, immediately dimming the room’s lighting.

“Yadang is omnipresent; we need to use devices to evade its surveillance for free communication. Otherwise, it might be listening in.” Dr. Huang’s amiable demeanor vanished. “I didn’t expect your strategy to involve feigning memory loss, but it’s surprisingly effective.”

Outside, his tone with Kui Xin resembled that of an elder speaking to a younger generation. However, once they were in a place free from Yadang’s surveillance, his attitude toward her conveyed deep respect. Kui Xin was a core member of Mechanical Dawn, holding a higher rank than him.

Dr. Huang was indeed a two-faced individual, possessing dual personas.

Kui Xin unconsciously touched her pocket; the silver wristband communicator and data chip provided by Dr. Huang were both securely inside. She suspected that the silver wristband also had similar capabilities—if used correctly, it could shield against Yadang’s surveillance.

“Can you provide me with a forged medical examination report?” Kui Xin proactively asked.

“Certainly,” Dr. Huang replied with a smile. “Isn’t that why I brought you here to the infirmary?”

Half an hour later, the counterfeit medical examination report was ready.

With the report in hand, Kui Xin exited the infirmary and returned to Shu Xuyao’s office.

Shu Xuyao scrutinized Kui Xin’s medical examination report multiple times, with his gaze fixed on the last line under the section for clinical recommendations: “Adequate rest may aid in memory recovery.”

“Go back,” he sighed, sounding resigned. “If there are any signs of your memories returning, report them to me immediately. Your leave remains for three days.”

Kui Xin responded, “Yes, Captain.”

As she stepped out of Shu Xuyao’s office, she felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden weighing on her chest had lifted.

A thin layer of nervous sweat covered Kui Xin’s back.

She knew that she had passed the first hurdle, safeguarding herself without arousing suspicion. The challenges ahead would only become more difficult.

It was important to remember that this world boasted highly advanced technology alongside extraordinary supernatural forces.

“Mission triggered.”

An overlay, visible only to Kui Xin, suddenly appeared.

[Mission Description]: Black Sea City, with its simple and unassuming culture, is a crucial port city of the Federation and also a stronghold for numerous criminal factions. Black Sea City is currently shrouded in a veil of conspiracy, with unknown agents extending their influence. You need to investigate and unravel this plot.

“You can choose to accept the mission or reject it.

“Rejecting may reduce your risk by a fraction, but accepting might yield unexpectedly rich rewards.”

[Mission Objective]: Investigate the Black Sea City port explosion case.

Kui Xin recalled the sixth piece of advice she had firmly memorized before joining the game:

—Everything comes at a cost.

The gifts of fate always carry a hidden price; to gain something, one must bear risks.

In the Second World, Kui Xin was both a player navigating through its challenges and a pioneer exploring a new realm. Before her lay both danger and opportunity.

Now, standing at a crossroads of destiny, Kui Xin chose to accept the mission.

“You have accepted the mission.”

“[Mission Progress]: 0%.”