Chapter 126
The Doctor whirled around! The movement was so sudden it almost created a gust of wind, causing his wide hood to sway.
For the first time, her usually rational and calm voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Who... who are you?!"
Her gaze was fixed on Han Fei's face, trying to find mockery, probing, or any understandable motive in his deep eyes.
However, there was nothing there.
There was only a bottomless calm, like an observer who had already seen through the ending, clearly reflecting her current panic and wavering.
Han Fei met her horrified gaze, his expression unchanged. He slightly raised a finger, gently placing it to his lips in a "shh" gesture, his voice low and steady, carrying an undeniable reassurance, or rather, a command:
Shh... don't get excited.
His gaze calmly met the Doctor's, as if stating a perfectly simple fact:
"Do what you're supposed to do. Haven't you already made the decision?"
"Nothing will change just because there is one more witness."
Volume One: Chapter 158 Yes!
Han Fei was well aware of the enormous Tidal Wave his whispers had stirred up in the Doctor's mind.
But he didn't care at all.
As he said, he was merely a witness.
He understood the Doctor's resolve as if it were a predetermined script—she would not change.
What are the subsequent impacts?
The Hakibo people are all going to their coffins, their memories will be wiped clean, so what kind of sequel is there?
Han Fei simply stood quietly, his gaze calmly fixed on the Doctor, waiting for her to make the choice he had already foreseen.
Most of the other members of the team looked confused, not understanding the whispers between Han Fei and the Doctor. Only Texas's wolf ears twitched slightly, revealing a hint of understanding.
She only caught a few words; Han Fei's voice was so soft. But those few words were enough for the intelligent girl to piece together the general outline—
My own boss is at it again, saying something truly outrageous.
Texas was already used to this, and at this moment she didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, her expression completely calm.
In stark contrast to the calm of Han Fei's team, the Doctor's heart was already in turmoil, with waves crashing against the shore! Countless thoughts, doubts, and horrors collided and tore at her mind, which was as precise as a machine.
If it weren't for the wide hood providing the final shield, her violent trembling would have been completely exposed.
Amidst a multitude of thoughts, one idea flashed through my mind like lightning—abandon the plan?
But it was only fleeting.
As Han Fei said, she had already made her choice. Between Terra's future and the legacy of the previous civilization, she chose the latter.
This long wait and determination will not be shaken by the astonishing words of a mysterious "kindred spirit".
"I didn't expect this,"
The Doctor finally broke free from the chaotic storm of thoughts, his voice returning to its usual calm. However, beneath that calmness, there seemed to be a hint of imperceptible weariness and self-deprecation. "My 'kind,' upon first meeting me, has given me such a 'gift.'"
She slightly raised her head, and in the shadow of the hood, her sharp gaze fell upon Han Fei:
"I'm very curious, and even... I've doubted it," her voice was soft, but every word was clear, "How someone like you... who seems so 'frail' has survived in Terra until now."
She paused, then changed the subject, her tone becoming serious with a sense of reassessment:
"But now, I have no doubt. You are indeed exceptionally capable."
Her gaze seemed to pierce through Han Fei's body. "Although I have no way of knowing how you did it, at least the 'power' you displayed far exceeded my expectations."
Han Fei simply shrugged indifferently. "I have my own brilliant plan."
The Doctor let out a soft, ambiguous hum, then fell silent.
After a moment, she suddenly spoke, her voice carrying an almost icy resolve:
"Didn't you want to 'witness' it?"
She slowly turned around and faced the huge main screen that occupied the entire wall again.
"--Well then, watch carefully."
Her voice was extremely low, like a whisper, and even Han Fei, who was standing right next to her, couldn't make out what specific instructions she gave.
But the answer was already displayed on the cold screen the next moment:
Against a crimson background like congealed blood, a line of cold white text silently appears:
[Do you confirm disabling all ship defense systems?]
A deathly silence fell over the control room, broken only by the faint hum of the equipment. The Doctor stood silently before the screen, his figure beneath the hood seemingly one with the text on the screen. A few breaths later, a similarly cold, emotionless syllable gently shattered the silence:
"Yes."
The notification text has disappeared.
There were no alarms, no flashes, and no external signs whatsoever.
The massive land-based Rhodes Island was like a giant beast whose spine had been quietly removed; its hard shell and sharp claws, upon which it depended for survival, were completely dismantled without a sound.
In Han Fei's view, everything seemed unchanged.
But he and the Doctor both knew perfectly well that things had changed drastically here.
Theresis's army had found a smooth path to the core.
Those Shroud Reapers may have already appeared before Theresa.
The Doctor slowly turned around.
This time, she slightly raised her head, letting the shadow under the hood recede a little, and her cold gaze, like a scalpel, pierced straight into Han Fei's face:
"Now..."
Her voice was like ice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, only pure scrutiny and questioning.
Are you satisfied now?
"My... witness."
"Satisfy?"
Han Fei raised an eyebrow, and a meaningful smile curved his lips.
He took a few steps forward, his tall figure instantly closing the distance between him and the Doctor.
Yu Jiebo's figure is considered tall for a woman, estimated to be over 1.7 meters.
However, he was still shorter than Han Fei, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall.
He leaned down slightly, his gaze sweeping down on her with an invisible pressure, precisely capturing the cold eyes hidden beneath the hood, as if trying to see through the turmoil in the depths of her soul.
"All of this is your choice."
Han Fei's voice was deep and steady, echoing clearly in the empty control room, "Why should I be satisfied?"
He straightened up slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the Doctor, his eyes deep and penetrating, as if piercing through the silence to see the impending storm and the distant future.
"My testimony is not over yet, Doctor."
"I will stay here to witness the end of the Babel, to witness Theresa's fall..."
He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty, as if announcing an inevitable dawn:
"--We will witness the new life that arises from this."
"A new student?"
The Doctor said softly, "Since you can see through everything, what kind of future awaits the new students here?"
"It's no fun if you hear spoilers."
Han Fei waved his finger and continued, "However, more than that, I'm curious about what you actually look like."
What do I look like?
The Doctor was taken aback, somewhat unable to keep up with Han Fei's unconventional train of thought; just a moment ago they were discussing such grand and far-reaching matters.
Suddenly, the focus shifted to her appearance.
"Uh-huh."
Han Fei responded, "I am genuinely curious about that."
The Doctor never shows his face simply for the sake of gameplay. After all, every player looks different, and wearing a hood to cover his face not only enhances immersion but also avoids unnecessary trouble.
But Han Fei was genuinely curious at the time, and the opportunity was rare.
If I want to see it again, I'm afraid I'll have to wait several years until the Chernobog Incident!
Seeing the Doctor hesitate, Han Fei raised an eyebrow and said, "Satisfy my curiosity, please. It's rare to meet someone like me."
A brief silence fell over the control room once again. Only the light from the huge screen flowed across the Doctor's dark robes, outlining the silhouette of her straight back.
After a few breaths.
A very faint sigh, almost drowned out by the hum of the equipment, escaped from under the hood.
The Doctor slowly raised his hand.
It was a hand with distinct knuckles, slightly pale, with long, slender fingers and neatly trimmed nails, exuding a sense of strength befitting a scholar or a precision operator. Without the slightest hesitation, it precisely grasped the wide edge of the hood.
Then, she suddenly lifted herself up!
The wide hood was suddenly pulled back like a stage curtain, and the "Babel's Ghost," which had been shrouded in shadow, was exposed without reservation to Han Fei's burning gaze and to the cold light of the control room.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
The playfulness and inquiry in Han Fei's eyes froze instantly, replaced by a pure, breathtaking amazement.
The face before him was completely different from the cold, "precision instrument-like" features he had imagined.
It was a face with an extremely classical charm, a masterpiece of creation. The skin was a cold white, as if it had never seen the sun, as delicate as fine porcelain, gleaming with a warm glow under the screen light, without a single flaw. This whiteness, far from being sickly, instead accentuated a kind of pristine coolness and mystery.
Her facial features are deep and three-dimensional, with the lines of her brow bone and nose bridge as if meticulously sculpted by the most skilled sculptor, exuding a powerful and beautiful beauty that transcends gender.
However, these sharp lines were completely softened and given soul by a pair of eyes.
Her eye sockets were slightly deep, and her eye shape was that of a classic phoenix eye, with the outer corners slightly upturned, carrying a natural, unintentional sharpness and aloofness. The color of her irises was an extremely rare, strange gray-gold color, like a mixture of molten gold and the deepest ash.
When those eyes gaze upon you, it's as if they can penetrate your skin and see directly into the veins of your thoughts, carrying both an all-seeing clarity and the weariness of years gone by.
Her lips were full and well-defined, a natural pale cherry color, and were pressed tightly together, revealing a hint of stubbornness and unease at being spied on.
A few strands of equally rare, SilverAsh hair, like flowing moonlight, fell slightly disheveled beside her smooth, full forehead and beautifully shaped jawline as the hood was lifted.
Contrary to Han Fei's expectations, the doctor did not appear pale and haggard from years of lack of sunlight. Instead, he looked somewhat exhausted, as if weighed down by heavy responsibilities. However, the Doctor concealed this well, and it disappeared the moment the hood was removed.
--Hakibo certainly had a tough time.
This face perfectly blends the calm wisdom of a scholar, the serene authority of someone long in a high position, and a heart-stoppingly fragile beauty that is deeply suppressed beneath a shell of rationality and belongs to the very essence of "humanity."
Contradictory, complex, yet surprisingly harmonious.
Like a frozen volcano, beneath the calm surface of the sea surges lava powerful enough to incinerate everything.
Han Fei's gaze lingered on her face for a full three seconds before he slowly exhaled, a smile of undisguised admiration, even bordering on unrestrained, playing on his lips.
Wow...
His voice was deep, carrying a pure appreciation:
"It's beautiful."
He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, as if searching for the most fitting adjective, before finally fixing his gaze on her captivating grey-gold eyes and chuckling softly:
"You don't look like a ghost at all, tsk, looking at you makes me want to kidnap you and take you home."
Doctor:"..."
She seemed completely unprepared for such an evaluation.
For the first time, a look of astonishment clearly appeared on that stunningly beautiful face that could captivate countless people, only to be quickly covered by an even deeper layer of coldness. Almost immediately, with a hint of barely perceptible haste, she abruptly pulled her hood down again!
The shadows once again enveloped her face, leaving only her grey-gold eyes peeking through the gaps in the hood, like stars sunk into a deep pool, coldly and with a hint of offended anger, glaring at the audacious and outrageously eccentric man before her.
A brief, breathtaking glimpse, like a fleeting moment, was enough to be etched into Han Fei's memory. He took a step back, satisfied, and spread his hands with a smile: