He Luo Monster

A green checkmark appeared on the black electronic screen.

"Correct answer. Respected Pioneer Tu Ran, please proceed to the Medical Department promptly for treatment."

"Wishing you good health."

Tu Ran was still dumbfounded.

That was it? She'd passed just like that?!

Behind her, the mechanical voice sounded again.

"Correct answer. Respected Pioneer Xi Chunzhi, please report to Room 721 in the Administrative Building. You have a meeting to attend."

"Wishing you smooth work."

Xi Chunzhi strode over, habitually raising her arm to sling it around Tu Ran's shoulder, only to remember that Tu Ran was still covered in grime. Her expression turned disdainful. "Watch it next time. I don't even have a place to put my hand."

Tu Ran let out a helpless laugh and nodded. "Got it."

The two walked side by side. Xi Chunzhi tilted her head to study her and asked, "You're hurt?"

It wasn't that she hadn't noticed—Tu Ran's entire body was currently wrapped in something like green asphalt, and no one could tell what was going on underneath.

It was a miracle the machine had even identified her.

"Mm, a small wound," Tu Ran said, rubbing the back of her head. It hurt a bit.

It wasn't her wound, though.

Ever since she'd woken up, the back of her head had ached.

Tu Ran guessed that the original body had likely died from a blow to the back of the head, and then her own soul had come over from another world to fill in the gap.

Xi Chunzhi glanced down at her blinking communicator. "Then go get checked out quickly. If you don't have enough credits, use my account—you know my password. Oh, and give me your holographic recording ring. I'll take it back for you along the way."

Holographic recording ring? Tu Ran instinctively touched the ring on her wrist.

That was the only ring on her entire body.

But how was she supposed to take it off?

There wasn't a single switch or button on it.

Watching her dawdle without removing the ring, Xi Chunzhi grew impatient. She stepped forward, grabbed both sides of the ring with both hands, and yanked hard. The ring immediately expanded to twice its original width.

After removing it, Xi Chunzhi pressed firmly, and the ring snapped back to its original size.

That was it? Just that simple and crude, and it came right off? Tu Ran was stunned.

Xi Chunzhi patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. This time, whoever dares to mock you, I'll punch them for you."

Mock? Mock what? And what did that have to do with the holographic recording ring? And who was going to mock her?

Tu Ran was thoroughly confused, but to Xi Chunzhi, that expression was clearly the look of someone crushed by reality and already drained of all desire.

She couldn't help patting Tu Ran's shoulder again, comforting her. "There, there. Go get treated first. I'll come pick you up when I'm done, and you can have fried chicken at my place. Naturally sourced farm chicken—a hundred times better than that synthetic stuff."

So even getting a proper plate of all-natural fried chicken in this world wasn't an easy feat.

Tu Ran nodded. "Got it. You'd better head to your meeting."

She'd already seen Xi Chunzhi's communicator blink dozens of times in a row—she probably had something urgent.

Xi Chunzhi nodded and hurried off.

Tu Ran stood there for a while, watching the flow of people passing by. She spotted a limping person walking past her and trailed after them at a moderate distance.

She didn't know the way to the Medical Department, but following this person was bound to be right.

At the Medical Department, guided by a nurse, Tu Ran underwent a full body examination and was then assigned to a nutrient pod.

Thick, rose-red liquid filled the entire cylindrical glass tank. Tu Ran was still mulling over whether she could even afford the medical fees when her clothes were stripped off, her body was rinsed clean, a breathing mask was strapped on, and she was tossed into the glass tank.