CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: CRYSTAL BALL

"What is that thing?" Sun Hang asked instinctively.

"An artifact-like mysterious object contained by the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute. It can significantly enhance human memory, even unearth those memory fragments buried deep in the mind," Wang Xiyi said.

"Such a thing exists? Does it have any side effects?" Sun Hang pondered and asked.

"Of course, it does. The images recalled with its help will continuously flash before your eyes for some time in the future or appear in your dreams for consecutive days. If in prolonged and intense contact, it could cause the person to develop ’Hyperthymesia.’

"I know this thing; the Investigation Bureau has recorded it in their archives," Yang Lian chimed in, "Its original owner was a seventeen-year-old girl who committed suicide due to the tremendous mental pressure caused by ’Hyperthymesia.’ After her parents reported it to the police, the Sheriff conducted a thorough search of the girl’s room and found this mysterious object. However, since it’s not considered highly dangerous and can be beneficial if used properly, the Investigation Bureau and the institute chose not to destroy it but rather to seal it away."

Soon, a helicopter belonging to the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute landed at the airbase, and four researchers in white lab coats emerged from the cabin, pushing a metal cabinet on small rollers.

"Be careful not to get frostbite from the low temperature!"

After inputting three password locks plus iris verification, the cabinet door was pushed open to one side, and a white chill immediately emanated from within.

A researcher wearing protective gloves carefully lifted a glass globe with a base out from the cabinet.

The glass globe was like those common snow globes seen in toy stores, filled with water, with a delicate little Christmas tree, and a snowman dressed as Santa Claus inside. When the globe was inverted, the "snowflakes" made of foam fragments would pile up at the top of the globe, and when turned back, they would flutter down like real snow.

It could indeed be considered a trinket filled with girlish charm.

"Stored in an environment of over a hundred degrees below zero, the liquid inside hasn’t frozen, nor has the glass globe cracked... Just based on this fact, it’s abnormal," Sun Hang remarked while examining the snow globe.

Yang Lian glanced at the tablet in his arms and said, "The institute tested it once in 1992, and its globe has a Mohs hardness of nine, comparable to diamond."

"So how do you use this thing?" Sun Hang asked as he circled the snow globe.

"Place your palm on it and try to recall what you want to remember," Yang Lian said, "That’s what the records suggest."

"It’s that simple?"

"It’s just that simple," Yang Lian put away the tablet, "But remember not to let any single contact exceed 120 seconds, or the side effects will trouble you for days."

"Understood." Sun Hang took a deep breath, reached out his hand, and gently placed his palm on top of the snow globe.

A piercing chill emitted from the surface of the snow globe, spreading along Sun Hang’s arm all the way to his brain.

Sun Hang involuntarily shivered, but it wasn’t due to the cold, it was a sensation of pleasure.

He could hardly describe the clarity in his mind, as if he had concentrated his focus to its peak, sweeping away all distractions.

If possible, he even wanted to keep pressing on this snow globe indefinitely.

The moment this thought emerged, Sun Hang was startled, and his consciousness was abruptly pulled back from the clouds. Before he realized it, cold sweat had seeped onto his back, causing his sweat-drenched shirt to stick to his skin.

"Damn, this thing is a bit wicked," Sun Hang muttered to himself, "Nearly fell under its spell."

"Fifteen seconds have passed," one of the researchers responsible for timing said nearby.

"Don’t disturb him," Wang Xiyi approached Sun Hang, separating him from the others.

Sun Hang took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and began to recall the images he saw during the second resonance.

The picture was now blurred like covered in a thick layer of mosaic, but as the chill washed back and forth in Sun Hang’s consciousness, the mosaic began to be ’cleaned’ away bit by bit. The distorted outlines of buildings became clearer, and various details began to emerge gradually.

Finally, the virtual clock on top of the Financial Center Building appeared in Sun Hang’s vision.

The shorter hour hand was in the quarter division below the number "3," while the longer minute hand was exactly at the number "3."

In the upper left corner of the dial was written in pixelated black font: Huangli 4719, May 19.

Three fifteen, the time during the second resonance scene that Sun Hang saw, was exactly three fifteen this afternoon!

Sun Hang took another deep breath, looked at the researcher responsible for timing, and asked calmly, "How many seconds have passed?"

"Forty seconds," the researcher replied, "You have eighty seconds left."

"Have you succeeded?" Yang Lian asked anxiously beside him, "Did you see the clock on the Financial Center Building?"

"Almost, just wait a bit," Sun Hang replied softly, once again closing his eyes and entering a state of meditation.

To him, figuring out the timing of the second resonance was only a secondary goal.

His main purpose was to use the snow globe’s ability to retrieve his lost memories.

After hearing Wang Xiyi’s description of this mysterious object, Sun Hang realized it was a rare opportunity.

Sun Hang placed both hands on the snow globe, beginning to retrace his memories, pushing them back to the moment he first woke up from the hospital bed.

His memory was severed at that point, like a filmstrip cut abruptly.

Tapping into the chill, Sun Hang tried to push further back and felt a remarkably tough barrier of some kind.

This barrier enveloped all his memories prior to the attack, making them inaccessible.

"Push harder."

Sun Hang could feel that if he could break through this barrier, all those ’lost’ memories would be retrieved.

He didn’t truly forget those memories, but instead, they were sealed away by some unknown force.

"...Push harder."

This was an opportunity, a chance to reclaim his memories.