Chapter 16: 16

 

"No... no problem, probably..."

 

Bryce replied, his voice quickly returned to normal, and his extra solemn attitude before seemed to be just Lin Xi's misreading.

 

"Judging from the physiological data, I shouldn't prescribe you any calming gel sticks anymore," Bryce said, but under Lin Xi's disbelieving eyes, he still took a step back, "However, your eye bags are a point of concern, three low-dose calming gel sticks are my bottom line, and you need to promise me to stop taking them as soon as your sleep quality gets better—"

 

"Yeah, I'll yeah— I promise, I won't mess around! It's just for sleep aid!"

 

Lin Xi raised his hands towards Bryce and solemnly promised.

 

Although Lin Xi felt a little disappointed that he didn't get the enhanced calming gel stick he wanted, it's still better than nothing—Lin Xi wasn't the kind of person who gets too greedy.

 

He watched with glee as Bryce took out the rationed gel sticks and put it on his hand, he then looked at his personal terminal and pretended to be embarrassed.

 

"Ah, darn it, the monitoring system reported that another water gall orchid got infected by the bugs in the laboratory."

 

Lin Xi whispered exaggeratedly.

 

"I wanted to have lunch with you, but now it looks like I need to deal with that water gall orchid first. Alas, those damned bugs are going to drive me mad..."

 

Lin Xi said while stuffing the gel sticks into his pocket, he then quickly walked towards the door.

 

Bryce watched Lin Xi's exaggerated performance helplessly, but didn't expose his adopted brother.

 

"Remember to tell Professor Ando to take that egg case back. Your cabin is for resting and sleeping, not for raising bugs!"

 

However, he still couldn't help but follow Lin Xi and harped about the egg case, repeatedly stating his point many times.

 

Lin Xi listened with a smile, but didn't really take those words to heart.

 

Shizuo Ando seems to be busy taking care of Liz, who's condition was only getting worse and worse during this time (otherwise, seeing such an obviously active egg case, he'd probably find a way to make a bed next to Lin Xi's, and then spend 24 hours a day observing his beloved cutie).

 

Occasionally, Lin Xi passed Ando by in the corridor of the laboratory, and the latter barely even noticed his existence. The baby-faced man who always smiled now looked more like a miserable mummy. No matter what, it was impossible for Lin Xi to follow Bryce's request, and return the egg case of Star Butterfly to the hapless man.

 

As for Bryce's nagging, alas... Lin Xi had to admit that Bryce really just wanted what's good for him, but the nagging was really annoying. If not, he wouldn't have made to avoid lunch with Bryce.

 

"Lin Xi—"

 

Just as Lin Xi was quickly leaving the clinic and about to turn a corner at the end of the corridor, Bryce suddenly stopped him again.

 

"What's the matter? Is there anything else? For example, you suddenly had a breakthrough and are now willing to give me some more calming gel sticks?"

 

Lin Xi took a deep breath, then turned around, squeezing out a smile at Bryce.

 

His elder brother was standing at the door of the clinic and staring at him. That strange expression appeared on his face again, and this time Lin Xi was sure that it wasn't his illusion.

 

"Bryce?"

 

Lin Xi became a little serious.

 

However, after waiting for a long time, what came out of Bryce's mouth was still the same old that worn out Lin Xi's ears.

 

"Eat less packed food, and stay away from the exploration team members. Don't always try to take advantage of them, your reputation's bad enough already. Promise me, don't mess around, especially in this special time..."

 

"I know, I will, I've changed my mind long time ago, you should trust your brother a little more, right?!"

 

Lin Xi didn't know why, but he breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the familiar chanting.

 

He dealt with it perfunctorily just like before and ran away without looking back.

 

What he didn't know was that after his back disappeared at the end of the corridor, Bryce still stood there, watching the direction he left for a long time. He dragged his heavy steps back to the clinic.

 

Instead of entering his routine workflow as efficiently and quickly as usual, he re-tuned Lin Xi's physiological data, and then, with a light flick of his finger, he also flipped out several other physical examination reports, placing it side by side next to Lin Xi's report on the electronic screen.

 

Bryce took a few steps back, staring blankly at these reports, the wrinkles between his brows got deeper and deeper.

 

The reports he called up came from random different people on Helios, and they were all after the spacecraft crash-landed on this unknown planet.

 

Most of these reports came from exploration team members who frequently go out for exploration, and some came from technicians responsible for repairing the spacecraft's cabin.

 

These people came to Bryce for different reasons. Some people were allergic to bug bites, and some people had mental baggages due to accidents and excessive work pressure... However, when Bryce told them they also appeared to be in good physical condition when examined.

 

Just like Lin Xi.

 

However, compared with Lin Xi, the physical data of the exploration team members and technicians were significantly better: metabolism, cell activity, and oxygen content in their blood... all far exceeded the average.

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Bryce previously attributed this change to the pure and pollution-free environment of this strange planet (at least as far as the report of the data analysis robot was concerned, the natural environment here is indeed far more than that of the Earth, after all, that planet has been almost squeezed dry by humans). In addition, another important factor was the daily food packs eaten by the crew.

 

Compared with other frozen and packaged foods on the spacecraft, this food specially developed for space travel contained rich nutrition. In addition, because of the addition of ground milk, this food package can also be used to adjust the physical condition to a certain extent and improve physiological functions...

 

After the Helios made the emergency landing, in order to avoid unnecessary personnel loss after the accident, Captain Talan approved the use of this expensive food.

 

Everything looked fine, just like what Bryce told Lin Xi before.

 

However, a subtle, unexplainable sense of unease gradually spread in Bryce's heart.

 

He nervously flipped through the data and documents left by the crew.

 

... Yes, the bug bit me, no— no direct contact, I'm sure of that. But even through the isolation suit, it still left a deep wound on my hand... but the wound healed soon...

 

——File No. hz1876a

 

Crew: Chris Sudara

 

Position: External Environmental Exploration Team

 

I'm feeling fine, doc. Although it sounds a little weird, maybe it's because my leg pain hasn't haunted me for a long time. It's a miracle, ever since I accidentally broke it on the moon base ten years ago, it reminds me of my recklessness every now and then... oh my God, that's amazing, you mean the scan doesn't even show the old injury?

 

——File number hz2342b23

 

Crew: Sirius Christopher

 

Position: A-level member of the External Environment Exploration Team

 

...Thank you doc, I do feel better after the treatment.. ah yes, sorry for asking, but I'm so curious.. My tattoos disappeared after a few of these treatments, so the treatment really washes off old tattoos? I made a bet with my friend and he insisted that therapy machines don't care about the laser graffiti on your skin, but look, I still have my ex-ex-boyfriend's name on my arm. Damn, it's really gone now...

 

——File number: hz88671234

 

Crew: Ava Rania

 

Position: Senior Electrical Technician, Advanced Technology Department

 

...

 

During treatment, the audio recordings left by the visitors were used as background music by Bryce, usually listened to repeatedly.

 

Rapid healing of wounds.

 

Healing of old wounds.

 

Fading of tattoos.

 

These are good things, Bryce grumbles to himself.

 

Yet he still panicked.

 

It's a bit rude to think this way, but after seeing those exploration team members who healed their old injuries and quickly healed their new injuries, the first thing Bryce thought of was Liz.

 

The fetus in the belly of the Sunu mixed-race woman swelled rapidly, it was so vigorous that it felt like it'd dry up it's mother's body and kill her.

 

Is this improvement in vitality really related to the food pack?

 

Still...

 

Bryce put down his work and slowly walked to the window of the spaceship. Even though Helios has been here for so long, Bryce never got used to the bright and curly "plants" within sight.

 

Those "plants" that trembled slightly like they were living things always reminded Bryce of many bad omens. For example; colorful insects, for example; those indescribable monsters of the ghost stories from childhood, for example; the paintings of a certain postmodernist painter that he particularly hated.

 

"Huh..."

 

He couldn't help but sigh deeply. Just now, he was about to tell Lin Xi his unfounded speculations, but at the last moment, he looked at Lin Xi's face, unable to conceal its exhaustion. In the end, he still suppressed those pressing feelings in his heart.

 

If only that person was still here.

 

Suddenly, someone's pale face appeared in Bryce's mind.

 

If that man was still alive, both he and Lin Xi would've been extremely at ease and relaxed, because they knew very well that no matter what problems they encountered, that man would solve it in his own way.

 

However, just thinking of him made the long-lost grief curl like a a poisonous snake, poking its head out and gnawing at Bryce's heart at once.

 

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