Healing the Firefly

Collecting the essential characteristics of "Entropy Loss Syndrome" and waiting for the foundational system "Psionic Power" to advance from C+ to B rank—cultivating disposable cannon fodder soldiers equipped with "Entropy Loss Syndrome" was only a matter of time.

Once the technical prototype stabilized and became universal, he could tailor an "Entropy Loss Syndrome" assembly line factory distinct from the Glamoth Empire's, based on his own technical style.

Knowledge was the true foundation. Power? A worthless byproduct.

Blindly chasing power, knowing the how but not the why, putting the cart before the horse, picking up sesame seeds while losing the watermelon—they'd taken the wrong path from the very start.

From Firefly, he'd acquired a decent piece of technology from the Glamoth Empire.

By the principle of equivalent exchange, Meng Yi ought to offer commensurate compensation.

Cure Firefly's "Entropy Loss Syndrome"?

Meng Yi couldn't do that now—not unless his "Psionic Power" advanced to B rank, enabling molecular-level microscopic interference.

Or, like using an anti-aircraft gun to swat a mosquito, wasting a "Miracle" like the "Evaluation Origin Crystal."

A "D-Rank World Origin Crystal" probably couldn't manage it, and Meng Yi didn't have a "Grade C Evaluation" or even a "Grade B Evaluation" on hand.

For now, replenishing Firefly's dwindling vitality and patching up her shattered "vessel" was something Meng Yi had some confidence in—and it wouldn't waste the hard-earned "World Origin Crystal."

If a hurdle could be crossed with knowledge, using a "Miracle Item" was the greatest waste.

"I can help replenish your nearly depleted 'fuel' and repair your broken 'vessel.' To prevent this situation from recurring, I'll limit your 'lever' to a controllable range, so you don't shatter the 'patch' I put on your 'vessel.'"

Firefly's big eyes held big confusion.

Fuel, vessel, lever, patch...

She understood every word individually, but strung together, it was all fog.

"Commander, I'm not educated. Could you make it simpler?"

Meng Yi: "?"

Wasn't he already simple enough?!

"Let me put it another way. A water container that's been patched up and barely usable is still far from its original flawless state. Do you understand that?"

Firefly feigned sudden realization, flashing a goofy, college-girl-who-thinks-she's-smart grin. "Oh~ So that's how it is! Got it!"

Got it? You don't understand anything!

Meng Yi's fists clenched and relaxed. What was he even expecting?

"Skip that part. I'll pretend you really do understand."

"Limiting the 'lever' ratio means adding another restriction device on top of your 'Entropy Loss Syndrome' to keep you from overdoing it and dying, while also extending the lifespan of your repaired, battered body."

Firefly scratched her cheek. "Uh... Commander, what if I get weaker and die in some dungeon?"

What if! What if! Why should I care! Am I your dad?!

Bad at dealing with illiterate idiots, Meng Yi was nearly losing his mind inside.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

"I'll temporarily cap your output limit at the level you fought the Red Light Mother in Manhattan City. That way, you'll have a means of self-defense without burning through your vitality too fast or putting unbearable strain on your body."

"First-tier dungeon difficulty, with your performance last time, you can basically brute-force your way through."

"Once you return to 'Evolution Paradise' and find me, you can come to me anytime to replenish your spent vitality and repair your body's durability."

As everyone knows, repairs come with a 'repair fee.'

Meng Yi wasn't working for free or playing the saint—just treating it as a short-term side gig to earn some extra cash.

Hearing this and understanding Meng Yi's good intentions, Firefly was full of gratitude.

"Commander, you're a good person!"

"..."

Good person, good person—your whole family are good people!

Meng Yi decided he'd never deal with illiterate idiots again. It was way too bad for his blood pressure.

"One piece of advice: before long, I'll be able to remove the side effects of your 'Entropy Loss Syndrome,' but you'll also lose the power it gives you."

"As for where you go from here and whether to abandon 'Entropy Loss Syndrome' for another extraordinary system, that's a decision only you can make. No one else can decide your future for you."

Firefly's smile faded. She raised a hand to touch the cracked, cyan-blue lines on her cheek and neck.

"Future... I don't know. I'm just a mass-produced standard weapon."

"If I give up 'Entropy Loss Syndrome,' will I still be me? Will the Glamoth Empire really have nothing left?"

The girl was asking herself. Meng Yi offered no opinion, quietly putting on medical gloves and changing the subject with a flat intonation. "Lie down. I'm going to anesthetize you and start the surgery. Don't waste time."

"Huh? Oh! Yes, sir!"

A high-concentration anesthetic strong enough to knock out a blue whale was injected—

Huh? One dose wasn't enough? Then another! No way this wouldn't work!

After ten doses of anesthetic were injected into her dense muscle tissue, this Genetically Modified Human, normally possessing E+ rank Body Strength, finally couldn't hold on.

Constructing the 'Limiter' on the outer layer of 'Entropy Loss Syndrome,' repairing the damaged body vessel, and replenishing the depleted vitality.

The three procedures progressed in order, from hardest to easiest.

C+-grade Psionic Power enveloped Firefly's limbs and bones, penetrating deep into every cellular structure under Meng Yi's mental vision inspection.

The Black-Red Threads, serving as both 'scalpel' and 'Limiter' material, spread from Meng Yi's palm, covering the unconscious Firefly in a thin black-red veil.

The nanoscale 'threads' sank into every pore of Firefly's body, beginning to capture all her cellular tissue.

Romance between man and woman? Sorry, in a doctor's eyes, there is no distinction of gender among patients.

The surgical process was not easy; Meng Yi had to focus all his mind on constructing the 'Limiter,' leaving no room for irrelevant thoughts.

Full coverage was the most troublesome—not a single error could be tolerated.

Time passed, and ten hours flew by in an instant.

Meng Yi used high-intensity nanoscale black-red threads to coil around the Azure Gene Structure that Entropy Loss Syndrome had transformed within Firefly's Microcosm Domain, shaping them into 'Limiters' that locked down the Output Limit of Entropy Loss Syndrome (maximum output at building-destroying level).

Twelve hours in, the hardest step was Completed.

If she had the leverage of the Doomsday Path and an unlimited supply of Imaginary Energy, it would Not Be Difficult for Firefly to Break Through Meng Yi's seal.

Unfortunately, the 'Doomsday Aeon King' was merely a fish trapped in a 'small puddle'; the Path concept it anchored could not cover the countless Worldviews affected by Evolution Paradise.

The regional Imaginary Space of the Imaginary Tree also could not be universally applied across all Worldviews.

Thus, at this stage, Firefly had essentially lost any possibility of breaking through the Limiter Meng Yi had constructed.

Unless she returned to her 'hometown' and engaged in high-intensity combat, recklessly burning her life force to court death.

Then Meng Yi would truly have no solution—if she died, it had nothing to do With him, so why bother worrying about it?