The Second Experiment / Raven Goes Boom on the Island, Except the Island Hasn't Exploded Yet

Even though he had vaguely guessed what Rita was after, Liu Bai still had to keep acting.

"It's fine. When the time comes, we'll just say we're dating."

He had no intention of dating, but pretending to be in a relationship just to see that siscon's unwilling expression sounded pretty good too.

Guinaifen: "..."

Guinaifen's expression was rather strange.

After a fake older sister, was her boss going to get a fake lover too?

She knew how to fill in this answer.

Fake turns real!

"Uh... all right. If that's the case, then tomorrow."

Although Liu Bai felt like things were going a little off track, he still agreed.

After all, this was still a development within the plan.

"Tomorrow at one in the afternoon, at Shencheng Plaza?"

"No problem."

The Second Experiment

After leaving the chamber of commerce, Liu Bai hurried straight to Shencheng Pharmaceuticals.

There was nothing he could do. Mobius wanted to see him, and Liu Bai simply could not refuse his owner's concern.

When he arrived at Shencheng Pharmaceuticals, no one came to receive him this time. Liu Bai made his way alone to the deepest level underground.

"Highlord? Are you here?"

"Come in—didn't I tell you to just call me Doctor?"

Hearing her voice, Liu Bai pushed open the door.

Mobius happened to turn her head and glance sideways at him.

"A lab rat and a researcher. That's the most basic relationship in a laboratory."

"Come, let me have a feel. You weren't hurt last night, were you?"

Mobius had only said one sentence before she started feeling him up indiscriminately.

"I'm fine. You could even say I'm completely unscathed."

Before Mobius could touch anywhere private, Liu Bai pushed her hand away first.

I didn't come here to become a woman's plaything!

"That's good." Mobius withdrew her hand with slight disappointment. "Natasha told me the details. Hmph... so they used this sort of method to come begging me."

A trace of coldness appeared in Mobius's eyes.

"Oh, right. Who's this woman?" Mobius suddenly noticed Guinaifen behind Liu Bai.

"Huh? Little Gui?"

"Who's that?"

"Guinaifen. She landed on Earth with me."

"Mm..." Mobius recalled the first time she had met Liu Bai.

Liu Bai... oh, there seemed to have been a red-haired stick figure beside Liu Bai.

She seemed to have drawn a tube of blood too. Since she had forgotten, there probably had not been anything remarkable about her.

"...I feel like I was never taken seriously from beginning to end." Guinaifen felt awkward for no apparent reason.

"It's fine. Guinaifen, right? I'll remember you now. I won't forget next time. Let's talk about Inazuma instead."

Mobius's expression then turned serious. "To be honest, I'm a little interested. A disease related to Honkai, one that can leave the Raiden Shogun bedridden and near death... whether as a doctor or a scholar, I want to take a look. But before that, I want to ask what you think."

"Me?"

Liu Bai had thought Mobius would be more upset over what had happened, but she was clearly still rational.

But... did something like this require his opinion?

"Yes, you." Mobius nodded. "Raven spoke very highly of you—unless you seduced her with a honey trap, in which case pretend I said nothing. Besides, in terms of value, you are far more valuable than the gravely ill Raiden Shogun. If you don't support this because of what happened yesterday, I'm willing to hear your thoughts."

Was he more important as an experimental subject...

"If you treat her, are you confident?"

"What stupid thing are you saying? I haven't even seen the patient. How could I possibly be confident?"

Mobius rapped Liu Bai on the forehead.

"Based on my past experience, it'll most likely fail. In the end, they're just desperately seeking help. When those people had no other options, they learned from the chamber of commerce that 'World Serpent's Serpent's Master is a very, very capable doctor,' then came to me with pointless hope. In the end, they're no different from ordinary people now."

After saying that, Mobius could not help sighing again.

"Honestly, if you're seeing a doctor, then bring the patient here properly to register and get examined, along with their medical history and allergy history. They haven't even met the doctor and they're already making trouble. Unbelievable."

"After all, there are many things to consider when you're a faction." Liu Bai offered a word of consolation.

But Mobius had made it very clear. She most likely could not cure this disease.

"Why not let Gray Serpent be the Serpent's Master instead?" Mobius gave a petulant remark.

"You should say that to Mr. Gray Serpent's face."

Liu Bai spread his hands.

"Still, since we've come this far, I hope you'll give it a try, Doctor—and I want to try something too."

"Try? You know how to treat illnesses?"

Mobius suddenly became interested and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I know a little, I suppose, though it's not exactly proper medical treatment."

If I said something like 'eating vegetables cures illnesses,' Mobius would probably think I was insane, right?

"Alien superpower?"

Mobius found an angle that was easier for her to understand.

"More or less."

As she listened to their conversation, Guinaifen's lips moved.

What her boss was talking about... wasn't it that thing where he fed Firefly grass?

Guinaifen had also heard Firefly describe the situation she and Liu Bai had faced at the beginning.

But no matter what... eating grass to heal injuries was not normal!

What kind of superpower was that?!

Even alchemists had to follow some basic rules!

Although saying this was somewhat disrespectful, Guinaifen had always felt on the Xianzhou that so-called alchemy was especially similar to cooking.

But at least alchemists genuinely refined the ingredients of a pile of medicinal herbs together. Unlike her boss, who just grabbed some grass, roasted it, and had someone eat it to heal injuries.

If Firefly had not said it was true, Guinaifen would have treated anyone who said such a thing as a lunatic.

"Then I'll look forward to it a little." A trace of anticipation appeared in Mobius's beautiful eyes. "Oh, right, come with me. Besides confirming your physical condition, I called you here this time to assist with an experiment—it'll hurt a little. Are you ready?"

"Needles again?"

"No, not this time. Since you, my little lab rat, are afraid of injections, I don't mind changing to another experimental method."

Mobius took two pills from her pocket and handed them to Liu Bai.

All were unidentified unknown drugs.

"The water's on that table. Take the medicine, then lie on that bed before it takes effect."

Mobius pointed to a large machine in the corner of the laboratory that looked like an X-ray scanner.

"This medicine..."

"If I explained it academically, it would take three hours. From a doctor's perspective, it won't kill you. Wouldn't asking any more just add to your worries?"

All right, Liu Bai conceded defeat.

That really did make some sense.

Under Guinaifen's worried gaze, Liu Bai silently took the medicine, then obediently lay down on the bed.

Less than two minutes later, a powerful wave of dizziness washed over him.

"Boss! Boss! You're finally awake!"

"Uh... Little Gui..."

An unfamiliar ceiling, a familiar face.

From this angle, Little Gui's chest didn't block her face...

No, if he wanted to verify that, it should be a lap pillow...

"Where is this...?"

Liu Bai turned his head and looked around.

The room was so simple that no other word could describe it. It also carried a faint smell of medicine and disinfectant.

"This is the Doctor's room. After Dr. Mobius finished examining you, you still hadn't woken up, so she told me to bring you here. How do you feel now?"

"...My entire body feels sore and weak. Like when you suddenly do intense labor, then sleep too long all at once and overdo it."

Successfully assisted Mobius in completing an experiment.

Mobius Affinity: 3646

World Serpent Affinity: 3646

Island-Boom Raven, but the Island Hadn't Exploded Yet

"What's wrong, Liu Bai? You look like you've been drained dry."

Natasha, who was lazily sprawled across the sofa, teased Liu Bai when she saw Guinaifen helping him back.

"You came back so late, and judging by that expression... did the Highlord do something strange to you?"

"I suspect the same thing..."

If Guinaifen had not also said Mobius did nothing, Liu Bai would have suspected that he had been drained more than ten times.

This exhaustion was killing him.

What was worse was that the medicine still had not been identified... Even though he had already taken it, he still felt an inexplicable unease.

"Teacher? What does 'something strange' mean?"

"Hm?"

Only then did Liu Bai and Guinaifen notice that beside Natasha—behind Natasha from their perspective—sat a shy, well-behaved, petite girl.

"Eh, what a cute little girl. Did you lure her here, Sister Natasha?" Guinaifen was quite happy when she saw the girl.

"What do you mean, lure her here? Can't you talk properly?"

Natasha's eyebrows shot up.

"Didn't you hear her? This child called me Teacher."

"Mm... hard to imagine."

Guinaifen thought for a moment, then honestly voiced her opinion.

No matter how she looked at it, Natasha did not seem like someone capable of teaching children.

Natasha gritted her teeth upon hearing Guinaifen's blunt answer.