Yang Shiyun said, "They dare not disobey you now, otherwise how can they show you their sincerity? However, this method cannot last long. After all, most of the people from the United States are still healthy. We can only isolate and observe them for now, and make further plans after we have more data here."
Zhao Qiang said, "It will take at least another 24 hours. The US government has not yet made any statement. Our country will face a lot of pressure if we do this."
Yang Shiyun said, "From a safety perspective, any pressure is worth it."
Zhao Qiang said, "Keep an eye on the TV reports; there should be further information."
Yang Shiyun switched the TV channel to the news channel, put down the remote control, and said to Lina, "Hello."
Lina gave Yang Shiyun a forced smile and said, "Hello."
Yang Shiyun said, "I invited you here today to ask for your cooperation in an experiment."
Lina looked at Zhao Qiang suspiciously. After all, she hadn't been 'invited' by Zhao Qiang, but had come voluntarily. She hadn't expected there to be other motives behind this.
Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "Since you're already here, just listen to what I have to say."
Lina looked at the madman's bloodstains on her body. "Can I take a shower first?"
Yang Shiyun pointed to the bathroom: "Of course."
Half an hour later, Lina sat in the living room wearing a bathrobe. American girls don't have many taboos, and she didn't mind exposing most of her skin to Zhao Qiang at all, even with a hint of deliberate seduction.
“Okay, you can tell me what’s wrong, but I’m not lying to you, I really don’t remember ever doing medical care for you,” Lina said to Yang Shiyun.
Yang Shiyun said, "We believe you, but have you ever thought about the possibility that your memory may have been erased?"
Lina looked surprised: "Erase memories? You're not kidding, are you?"
Yang Shiyun said, "Do you think I have any reason to joke?"
Lina thought for a moment: "I can't accept what you're saying, but I'd like to know what you're planning to do?"
Zhao Qiang said, "We have a memory recovery device. As long as you agree, we can search for your erased memories."
Lina asked, "Are you sure you're not joking?" Lina still wanted to confirm, and Zhao Qiang nodded solemnly. Lina said, "Then I want to know why you did this, and what your purpose is."
Yang Shiyun said, "Because my body underwent significant changes after treatment at the hospital, I need to find out the reason."
Lina said, "You suspect I've done something to you?"
Yang Shiyun shook her head and said, "No, no, you misunderstood. You are just a medical worker. Even if you were to tamper with something, you should be the doctor. But right now I don't know who the attending physician is. The only clue is that you were my medical worker at the time. So if I want to continue the investigation, I can only rely on you. Maybe you can find the attending physician's information in your memory."
Lina considered for a moment: "I'm sorry, I can't risk my life to play along with your nonsense."
Zhao Qiang said, "The memory restoration we're going to perform will not harm your body in any way, please believe that."
Lina was still reluctant to undergo memory recovery, but she also considered that Zhao Qiang had saved her life, and besides, this Chinese woman wouldn't come to America to cause trouble for no reason. Could there really be a secret behind this? And the key to unlocking the secret might lie within herself. To be honest, Lina was also tempted.
Lina gritted her teeth and said to Zhao Qiang, "I'll cooperate with your experiments, but we'll call it even since you saved me before."
Zhao Qiang snapped his fingers: "OK, deal."
Lina followed Yang Shiyun into the bedroom. She lay down on the bed, and Yang Shiyun brought out the memory recovery device that Zhao Qiang had just created. This thing was no ordinary device. First, there was a large helmet that Lina had to wear on her head. Then, rows of data cables extended from the helmet and plugged into instruments on the table. In this way, the information found in Lina's brain would appear on the instrument's display screen in the form of data. This was definitely a great breakthrough. However, Zhao Qiang only created it to find out the reason for Yang Shiyun's physical changes, and he did not intend to make this technology public.
Lina watched Yang Shiyun put the helmet on her and gave a bitter smile, saying, "Am I stupid? I've practically sent myself to the guillotine. I might not even remember who I am when I wake up."
Yang Shiyun said, "Don't worry, what you said won't happen."
Lina put on her helmet and lay back down. "I hope so."
Zhao Qiang walked in, and Yang Shiyun nodded to him: "We can begin."
Zhao Qiang activated the device, and under the stimulation of a weak electric current, Lina fell into a deep sleep. This was to prevent her brain from developing resistance, which could easily harm her. Therefore, he had to hypnotize her first so that he could safely search for the remaining memories in her brain. Zhao Qiang was certain that even a master of superpowers could not completely erase all signals in a brain; there would always be clues left behind. And any useful clue would point Zhao Qiang to the next course of action.
Volume 2 [678] Recovering Memories
[678] Restore Memory
Yang Shiyun was still uneasy. "Zhao Qiang, do you think there will be a result?"
Zhao Qiang said, "We'll know soon enough whether it works or not. How will we know if we don't try?"
"Will it really not affect Lina?" Yang Shiyun is a kind person.
Zhao Qiang said, "Probably not."
Yang Shiyun was horrified: "Ah, even you yourself are not sure, then aren't we ruining Lina's life?"
Zhao Qiang said, "You need to have faith in me. Stop talking and start getting the data."
Lena remained motionless and relaxed, though the large helmet looked somewhat ridiculous. At that moment, a bunch of messy green codes appeared on the screen, making it seem like a classic scene from The Matrix.
Yang Shiyun pointed at the screen and asked, "What's going on?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It hasn't been decoded yet. What we've read so far are just basic brain signals. They need to be recognized and converted by the server, which takes time. I'm using a common processor on the market, so it's a bit slow. Be patient, and it will be decoded soon."
Yang Shiyun said, "This technology is amazing! If you put this helmet on me, will I be able to see everything I want?"
Zhao Qiang said, "That's the theory."
Yang Shiyun said, "Then what secrets will people have left? If this equipment is used in interrogation, what case can't be solved?"
Zhao Qiang said, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have wanted it to be released at all. Its function is huge, but the negative effects are also obvious. Putting aside whether it respects human rights, this thing is being used for the first time. You ask me if it will have any impact? Who am I supposed to ask?"
With a snap, the image on the screen changed, and the jumbled green codes became patterns. This should be the most primitive decoding. The brain receives video and audio signals from the eyes and ears, and this is the most fundamental information as the storage source. The images on the screen kept flashing, making it dazzling and impossible to see clearly for a moment. It is unknown whether this is because Lina's brain was overactive or because the memory recovery device was running for the first time and needed improvement.
Gradually, Yang Shiyun figured it out. Most of the videos and audios were Lina's memories from when she was young. It seemed that the memory recovery device had grasped the main thread, but it had gone a bit too far. It was searching from when she was young. At this rate, she wondered when it would reach her memories of adulthood and starting work.
Yang Shiyun sat down in the chair. Unlike Zhao Qiang, she couldn't stand staring at the screen for too long, and felt more at ease with Zhao Qiang watching over her. She still wanted to observe Lina for any adverse reactions. Lina seemed to have adapted to the activity of her cerebral cortex; she was now peacefully closing her eyes, her breathing steady. The memory recovery device Zhao Qiang had created should be working properly. That guy was truly talented; he could even create something like this.
Suddenly, Zhao Qiang pressed the pause button. Yang Shiyun leaned over and asked, "How is it? Have you found anything?" She couldn't wait any longer.
Zhao Qiang said, "This is Lina's memory after she started working. Someone has modified this part of her memory."
Yang Shiyun asked, puzzled, "How did you know?"
Zhao Qiang pointed to the green source code image on the side of the screen and said, "Don't look at these source codes. They are arranged in an orderly manner, but the modified memory has broken the original order. That's why I made this judgment."
Yang Shiyun said admiringly, "Your observation skills are amazing. I didn't see anything."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "If you had a super chip in your brain, you would naturally be able to calculate it."
"It's strange. In Lina's memory, she used to be a lively girl, but why did she become so quiet and withdrawn after starting work, hardly interacting with her colleagues?" Zhao Qiang wondered.
Yang Shiyun said, "You can't find the reason in her memory? Did she suffer some kind of trauma?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No, could it be that the other party modified this part of the information? But what's the point of that?"
Yang Shiyun said, "Let's restore it first and see."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's already being repaired."
Yang Shiyun listened to the police sirens getting closer and closer outside the hotel and said, "We really didn't pick a good time. Actually, my affairs are no longer important. This is the beginning of the end of mankind. Enjoying life is the most important thing."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Don't worry, there's no virus that can't be defeated, it's just not the time to conquer it yet."
Yang Shiyun was taken aback: "Really? You have experience in overcoming the H virus, so overcoming this kind of mad virus should be a piece of cake. It's just that you plan to let it spread more severely so that you can earn the Americans' gratitude when you take action?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No, firstly, I have no information about this virus, so it's unrealistic for me to create a treatment out of thin air. So we can only wait. Secondly, I don't need the gratitude of the Americans. It would be even better if this virus could severely damage the American economy and system, which would be very beneficial to our future rise in the world."
Yang Shiyun said, "You're really far ahead of your time; you're just like my grandfather in that respect."
Zhao Qiang pointed at the screen and said, "The repair is working. Look how happy Lina and her colleagues used to get along."
Yang Shiyun indeed saw Lina's colleagues on the screen. They were all smiling broadly in front of Lina, laughing and joking around. She even spotted several male doctors admiring her in Lina's eyes; one of them had even successfully kissed her, almost to the point of sleeping with her. Actually, judging from Lina's earlier memories, she wasn't a promiscuous girl; on the contrary, she was somewhat conservative. No scenes of sexual intercourse appeared in her mind, which is quite unusual for someone living in a more open-minded country.
The following memory information is mostly about life in the hospital. Because the equipment is in a repair state, the process is relatively slow. When Yang Shiyun appeared, the two who were originally drowsy immediately opened their eyes wide.
Yang Shiyun pointed at the screen and said, "Look, look, I wasn't lying, I really did stay in that hospital."
Zhao Qiang was also excited. He knew his own instrument inside and out. Although he claimed it wouldn't have any adverse effects on the human brain, he understood that this intense brain scan was terrifying. If the target resisted, serious and unpredictable dangers would arise. However, this dangerous scan was also the most reliable. Any information that had ever appeared in the target's brain, even if erased, could be recovered, just like a low-level formatted hard drive—data could still be recovered using appropriate repair tools.
To Lina, Yang Shiyun was just an unconscious patient. She couldn't see how panicked the medical staff around her were. The procedure for every patient entering the emergency room was almost identical, so they proceeded in an orderly manner. In Lina's eyes, Yang Shiyun had her eyes tightly closed and was being manipulated. However, Lina wasn't working in the emergency room at that time, so this scene she witnessed only lasted a short time before she returned to her regular duties.
Yang Shiyun pressed the replay button and pointed at the screen, saying, "Look, we've seen this doctor in the conference room before, but Dean Dorothy asked him about it, and he said he didn't know me and hadn't treated me. He was lying after all."
Zhao Qiang, of course, also saw it. He found the emergency room doctor's information. From the moment he was summoned into the conference room by Dean Dorothy, there was no indication that he was lying. The other party's expression was genuine, as if what Dorothy said had nothing to do with him.
The memory repair process continued, and Lina took over the care of Yang Shiyun after her emergency treatment. She took great care of her, and Yang Shiyun appeared frequently in her sight. Through Lina's eyes, she observed that Yang Shiyun remained unconscious, and doctors came to check on her several times a day. Through Lina's ears, she could hear that these doctors were at a loss about how to treat Yang Shiyun's condition.
Zhao Qiang stroked his chin thoughtfully: "These doctors are all hospital staff. Some of them we've met before. They clearly treated you, so why won't they admit it? What happened that caused them to collectively lose their memories?"
Yang Shiyun said, "I'm also wondering why an ordinary girl like me would cause trouble for so many people."
Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun were at their wits' end. The process of recovering Lina's memories was still ongoing, and the same routine every day was making them drowsy. Suddenly, the scene before their eyes changed, and Zhao Qiang's expression changed. He then snapped the screen shut and pressed pause. "Sister Shiyun, you're tired. Go and take a rest."
Yang Shiyun perked up: "I'm not tired, let's keep watching, why did you turn off the screen?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm really tired right now. Let's stop for a bit, rest for a while, and have something to eat."
Yang Shiyun pointed at Lina and said, "But she's still unconscious. Let's finish the investigation quickly so she can wake up."
Zhao Qiang said, "I will have the memory recovery device copy all her brain data. We can talk about any problems later. Let's go eat first. Anyway, I don't think we can find any problems."
Yang Shiyun said, "Okay."
Zhao Qiang said, "I'll go to the bathroom first. Go buy some food and we'll eat in the living room."
Yang Shiyun said, "Okay," and then she left the room. Zhao Qiang ran to the bathroom and heard Yang Shiyun close the door and leave. He came out again and returned to the bedroom. Lina was still lying there motionless. The memory recovery device was flashing a red light and making a soft beeping sound. Zhao Qiang turned on the screen and pressed a key. The video information extracted from Lina's brain continued. Zhao Qiang's hands were trembling. His mind was blank with tension.
"Wei, is that really you? How did you end up in America?" Zhao Qiang muttered to himself.
The scene on the screen was very strange. It seemed that someone was spying on Yang Shiyun on the hospital bed. It was a dark night with no stars or moon. Lina was on the night shift. She wondered if the strange noise from the ward had woken her up. She quietly looked through the observation window. The ward, which was originally dark, was now flashing with an unusual light. A black notebook was floating in mid-air. Yang Shiyun on the hospital bed was not moving. She was surrounded by a colorful light.
Lina's gaze flickered, as if she wanted to rush in and stop the notebook suspended in mid-air. However, after a brief moment of hesitation, Lina stopped moving. Her curiosity overcame her desire to help the patient. A notebook of unknown origin, floating in mid-air and emitting light—what a strange sight!
(Thanks to Moist Dust for the 200-coin reward, thanks to others for practicing swordsmanship and I for the sword-practicing coin reward, and thanks to the monthly ticket support from Calm and Occasionally Turbulent)
Volume 2 [679] It turns out she's always been by my side
[679] It turns out she's always been by my side.
Zhao Qiang didn't care what Lina was feeling at the moment. His gaze was entirely focused on the laptop floating next to Yang Shiyun in the ward. Zhao Qiang knew this laptop like the back of his hand. She gave Zhao Qiang a second life. Without her, there would be no Zhao Qiang today. He couldn't remember how many places he had searched for her. But suddenly she appeared in the mind of a stranger. Why was that?
The laptop, suspended in mid-air, continued to radiate energy. At this moment, Yang Shiyun, enveloped in light, left the hospital bed and began to spin rapidly. In Lina's eyes, it became a ball of light, making it impossible to distinguish between Yang Shiyun and the laptop. The two merged into one, suspending and spinning in the air.
This image lingered in Lina's mind for nearly two hours. She didn't know how she managed to stand outside the ward until the very end; her legs must have gone numb. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the constantly spinning light stopped abruptly, and Yang Shiyun's body was thrown back onto the bed. She remained unconscious, as still as if she had never left the bed. Lina's gaze was focused on Yang Shiyun, because she was her patient, but Zhao Qiang was frantically searching for his notes.
Finally, Zhao Qiang spotted the notebook out of the corner of Lina's eye. It had lost all its luster and was lying on the ground, the screen shattered, looking utterly broken.