Dual Worlds: I Have a Doomsday World

Lin Qi tinkered in the workshop all afternoon. It wasn’t until around six or seven in the evening that he finally emerged and returned to the first floor.

Lin Xin, Liu Xuan, Doctor Lin, and Sister Li were all there. The old doctor and Sister Li looked as if they had just come upstairs.

Lin Xin shot Sister Li an incredibly strange look. "Sister Li, all this..."

Lin Xin didn’t finish her sentence. Having grown up in a Prosthetic Clinic, she didn’t need any tools. She could tell just by the sound of Sister Li’s movements as she walked.

’Her body is already 30% prosthetic. What kind of Kool-Aid did that old man get her to drink?’

When Sister Li saw Lin Xin, an unnatural flush crept onto her face. She was clearly embarrassed.

She was from the Eastern Alliance, a rather staunch opponent of prosthetics.

But after two days of Doctor Lin’s sales pitches, she had begun to waver.

’Before coming upstairs, she had been thinking that what Doctor Lin said made sense. She could get an external prosthetic, just to try something new. After all, she was going to be at the Prosthetic Clinic for two more days; she could just have it removed before she left.’

’But this Prosthetic Doctor... he wasn’t like the others.’

’He... was too good a salesman!’

’And the surgery was incredibly fast.’

Sister Li had been lying on the operating table, and somewhere in the middle of her chat with Doctor Lin, her Credit Points were gone.

And Doctor Lin gave her absolutely no chance to back out.

The moment the Credit Points hit his account, he somehow compressed a procedure that should have taken hours into less than forty minutes.

’The Prosthetic Body was installed quickly and perfectly!’

’Sister Li couldn’t help but want to leave him a five-star review.’

Just as Sister Li was feeling awkward, the old doctor immediately stepped up to defend his new patron.

"A Prosthetic Body is a wonderful thing, especially for an Extraordinary Professional!"

"According to data from the Prosthetic Doctor Association, a Prosthetic Body can boost a Tier One Extraordinary’s combat effectiveness by up to 30%, and a Tier Two’s by up to 70%! For Tier Three, it’s even more terrifying—the boost can reach as high as 144%! That’s why so many Extraordinary Professionals are desperate to get their hands on High-Level Prosthetic Bodies."

"Sister Li, you have to trust me. My skills may not be the absolute best in the entire Asian Administrative Region, but I’m at least in the top fifty. Get your Prosthetic Body installed by me, and I can create an extra 10% prosthetic capacity for you out of thin air!"

Doctor Lin spoke with righteous conviction, even projecting the hard data onto the space above the reception area.

’As a professional Mercenary,’ Lin Qi had to admit, ’the old man was right.’

’The synergy between Extraordinary Power and a High-Level Prosthetic Body produced a change in combat power that was far greater than the sum of its parts.’

’The higher the Extraordinary Level, the better the integration with the Prosthetic Body, and the greater the combat power that could be unleashed.’

’That was precisely why Master Ma and King Arthur from the Mercenary Corps were constantly upgrading to Prosthetic Bodies that were better suited for them.’

’Oftentimes, the deciding factor in a battle between Extraordinary Professionals came down to a single, powerful Prosthetic Body part.’

Lin Xin looked from the old doctor to Sister Li, and finally shook her head in resignation.

Lin Xin felt inexplicably irritated and weary.

’Whatever. Let the world burn.’

Her gaze inadvertently fell upon Lin Qi.

Or to be precise, it fell upon the flagship model Prosthetic Body he was wearing.

Lin Xin said to Lin Qi, "Lin Qi, what are you doing just standing there? You’re being an eyesore. Why don’t you just go back downstairs!"

’But he had just come upstairs!’

’One foot was still on the staircase!’

’Was this brat taking her anger out on him?’

’He wasn’t the one who installed Sister Li’s Prosthetic Body. If she had the guts, she should go chew out the old man! Or take it up with Sister Li!’

’What was the point of taking it out on him?’

Lin Qi frowned, using his Intelligent Brain to immediately order an "Advanced Language Application" chip with express delivery.

’Lin Xin was definitely asking for a tongue-lashing!’

’She needed a good talking-to!’

Just as Lin Qi was about to walk toward the sofa, his pupils contracted.

A figure had appeared behind Lin Xin as silently as a ghost.

Baili Xueyuan!

’Why is she here again?’

Lin Xin seemed to sense something. She turned her head instinctively and saw her teacher.

As if by reflex, she scrambled to her feet, took two quick steps, and subtly positioned herself between Baili Xueyuan and Lin Qi.

"Teacher, what are you doing here?"

Lin Xin’s tone was cautious, and the disdain for Lin Qi that had been in her eyes moments ago had completely vanished.

"I came to see you. And to confirm something with your brother."

Baili Xueyuan, who seemed to have just arrived, reached out and ruffled Lin Xin’s hair.

She was a good half-head taller than Lin Xin, standing around five-foot-eight. Lin Xin, at five-foot-three and barely a hundred pounds, looked quite small and delicate in comparison.

Just as she finished speaking, Baili Xueyuan’s gaze flickered. She had spotted Sister Li and her newly installed Prosthetic Body.

Baili Xueyuan was clearly surprised. "Sister Li," she began, "is this..."

Being singled out by Baili Xueyuan made Sister Li far more nervous than before.

When Lin Xin had asked, she had just been embarrassed.

But being questioned by a figure with real authority in the Assassin Alliance like Baili Xueyuan was more than she could handle.

Sister Li quickly racked her brain, retrieving the excuse she had used to convince herself earlier. "The situation in Red Fruit City is complicated," she replied. "This subordinate was concerned my combat strength would be insufficient to protect Lin Xin, so I had this Prosthetic Body implanted. I plan to have it removed once the mission is complete."

This was the excuse Sister Li had used to convince herself that afternoon.

But after the procedure was complete, her opinion had changed considerably.

’The Prosthetic Body’s sensory adjustment function is amazing!’

’The Prosthetic Body’s signal detection function is amazing!’

’The Prosthetic Body’s strength enhancement function is amazing!’

’There wasn’t a trace of the discomfort she had imagined. Not only was it comfortable after installation, it was even more comfortable than before!’

’If she were asked to remove it now, she would actually be quite reluctant.’

Baili Xueyuan seemed to believe her story. She nodded and said, "You’ve gone to great lengths. We’ll count the expenses as mission-related losses. Submit a report when the mission is over, and I’ll approve the reimbursement."

’An opponent of prosthetics, sacrificing so much just to protect my student... It’s enough to make one feel guilty.’

’Am I, as a leader, putting too much pressure on my subordinates?’ Baili Xueyuan wondered.

Hearing this, Sister Li’s face grew even redder. "It’s all part of my duty," she replied.

Baili Xueyuan nodded. Her gaze then shifted, moving from Sister Li, past Lin Xin, and finally landing on Lin Qi.

Baili Xueyuan spoke. "Can we speak privately?"

’It wasn’t hard to guess why Baili Xueyuan was here. Yesterday, she had told him that if he was willing to help, he could contact her through Lin Xin by tonight at the latest.’

’It was already seven o’clock, and Lin Xin still hadn’t sent her any message.’

’That must be why she had come to ask Lin Qi in person what his final decision was.’

"No!"

The word didn’t come from Lin Qi, but from Lin Xin, who was standing between them.

Her eyes were resolute, holding none of her earlier annoyance with Lin Qi, only the determination to protect her family.

But she seemed to realize her tone was inappropriate, and quickly added, "Teacher, Lin Qi has already made his decision. He doesn’t have the Ability to get involved in this matter. As the saying goes, the less ability, the less responsibility."

"Teacher, I’m begging you, please don’t force Lin Qi, okay? He’s just an ordinary researcher. He shouldn’t be dragged into a disaster on the Extraordinary level."

Lin Xin had refused Baili Xueyuan on Lin Qi’s behalf, and her gaze was filled with pleading.

Baili Xueyuan looked into Lin Xin’s eyes and saw not only pleading, but also an emotion called... fear.

She was afraid Baili Xueyuan would force Lin Qi, but she was even more afraid that Lin Qi would have a moment of madness and be swayed by Baili Xueyuan’s words.

In short, she did not want Lin Qi and Baili Xueyuan to speak alone.

Baili Xueyuan softly repeated Lin Xin’s words. "An ordinary... researcher?"

Baili Xueyuan felt a little helpless. She didn’t know if her student was genuinely clueless, playing dumb, or if she simply trusted her family so much that she hadn’t bothered to analyze the intelligence more thoroughly.

She glanced at Lin Xin, then at Lin Qi, and after a moment’s hesitation, decided not to expose Lin Qi’s secrets in front of everyone.

She had made a promise, and she wouldn’t go back on her word.

Baili Xueyuan ruffled Lin Xin’s hair again and replied gently, "Alright, have it your way. I’ll ask here."

Then, Baili Xueyuan turned to Lin Qi. "Have you made your decision? Is it as Lin Xin says?"