CHAPTER 661: CHAPTER 658: AWAKENING

Is this really an underground ruin?

Continuing to grope forward in the icy ring tunnel, Ronald and Nade couldn’t help but entertain such a thought.

Both of them had amassed considerable knowledge in their respective fields, so when dealing with some special emergencies, they could also come up with some experimental solutions based on past experiences.

However, reality proved otherwise...

After passing through those transparent creatures inhabiting the top of the icy ring tunnel, the two subsequently encountered several other species they had never seen before.

A large reptile with huge pincers, a belt-like plant covered with a highly toxic powder, and several flying insects with ice-blue jackets...

After dealing with these things with sufficient trepidation.

The two traversing the pitch-dark icy rings were both physically and mentally exhausted.

Finally, when they arrived at a clearing without any signs of animal activity.

They nearly simultaneously sat down on the ground.

While resting, Nade pulled out two small chocolates from the pocket of her left arm and then smilingly passed one to Ronald:

"Hey Yang, do you think if we make it out alive today, these discoveries could be worth a few Nobel Prizes in Biology?"

Ronald smiled as he took the chocolate, then tore open the wrapper and popped it into his mouth:

"If that day really comes..."

"I think, by then, it wouldn’t be us waiting for others to present us with awards."

"..."

"Haha, that’s true..."

"By that time, awards should be established in our names."

The two continued to rest on the spot, regaining their strength.

After contemplating seriously for a long time, and just as they were about to continue their journey, Nade suddenly smiled at Ronald:

"Yang, I feel something is off..."

"..."

The girl’s tone was trembling.

Compared to her previous composure in the face of danger, where she could stabilize her emotions quickly even after doing something against her will, Nade’s expression now suddenly became extremely unstable, even showing signs of an emotional breakdown.

Ronald, of course, immediately noticed Nade’s unusual demeanor.

He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her shoulders and then spoke with the calmest tone possible:

"Nade, calm down!"

"We will make it out successfully, don’t lose your sanity at this critical moment..."

"..."

Simultaneously, Nade’s eyes widened as she looked at Ronald in front of her.

She remained motionless for a long time in that one position until she abruptly asked a question:

"Yang, do you remember the scene when we first met?"

"..."

Ronald was stunned.

Even Nade’s name was something he recognized only after seeing her name tag upon entering the trial.

Now suddenly bringing up the scene when they first met...

How could he, a person with absolutely no memory of it, possibly recount it!

And seeing Ronald’s expression, Nade immediately showed a very sad look on her face:

"Yang, don’t think about it anymore."

"I know, you probably don’t remember anything."

Nade spoke plainly about Ronald’s current embarrassment, then once again smiled:

"Hehe—"

"Not only can you not remember, but I also have no memory of it at all."

"Isn’t it funny?"

"I clearly know that I like you, and even because of this feeling, I applied to work on a business trip with you. But just now when I tried to recall memories of my past life, I could find nothing about the first time we met."

Nade introduced her situation in one breath.

But her emotions did not completely collapse; instead, her facial expression began to stabilize.

Then, as if narrating someone else’s experience.

The girl gently shook her head, then her gaze fell into serious contemplation:

"No, not just these personal experiences."

"Thinking on a grand scale—about the current political situation in the world, the international news from last month; on a smaller scale—the recent changes in my hometown, the activities of my relatives in recent years, even the classmates from when I was pursuing my doctoral degree."

"I have no memory of any of these things."

"And yet, under such circumstances, I can clearly identify that the creatures in this ice cave are not species from Earth, and my research on biology hasn’t been forgotten..."

After saying all this, Nade paused for a few seconds to catch her breath, then she fixed her gaze on Ronald’s face and said:

"Yang? Do you think we truly exist?"

"..."

"!!!"

At this point.

Ronald had no pre-prepared solutions for the current situation.

—Original Test Trial!

In a trial environment composed of originals, he encountered a passing personality illusion that, based on its own rational and logical analytical abilities, developed doubts about its own real existence?

This was not a philosophical proposition!

Rather, it was the girl named Nade in front of Ronald.

She really realized the environment of her existence, or rather, she might also be fictitious.

It wasn’t just the loss of necessary memories, but based on the knowledge reserves of a scholar, she also found that some creatures from the recent events she experienced completely defied natural norms.

Finally, with so much information compiled, Nade finally concluded.

"..."

"Yang, it hurts..."

At that moment, Nade turned her profound gaze to the sides.

Ronald, due to excessive emotion, unconsciously gripped the girl’s shoulders tightly, causing Nade considerable discomfort.

"Sorry..."

Ronald released his hands as if shocked by electricity and took a step back, then stood up straight in front of Nade.

In Ronald’s incredibly complex eyes, there was no solution to the problem at hand.

A sentient being with wisdom that realizes in a trial that it is a fictitious entity.

Was he supposed to concoct a lie to deceive her?

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

"..."

"Yang, when I was recalling, I discovered another thing."

"In my ’few’ memories, apart from the necessary parts, information related to you occupied more than thirty percent, do you know why?"

Nade asked another question.

But this time, the girl stood up from the ground and while looking at Ronald in front of her, her tone was trembling again.

Even so.

Nade still tried to keep her expression stable, and with her genuinely sincere attitude, she waited for Ronald’s answer.

Ronald didn’t want to, and now he couldn’t lie.

So he spoke:

"Nade, let me tell you a story."