20demayo Chapter 324 is truly a pair of star-crossed lovers.
Chapter 324 is truly a pair of star-crossed lovers.
The collapse of cyberspace is like the receding tide.
The data stream that constituted the battlefield—the simulated mountains, skies, and even the broken ruins—began to peel away and dissipate piece by piece from the edges inward, transforming into a primal and meaningless torrent of 0s and 1s, silently annihilating. The light faded, the colors stripped away, leaving only the skeleton supporting the space groaning under its unbearable weight. In Ye Rui's arms, Karen's virtual image, which had just begun to regain some outline, also began to become transparent and thin, like morning mist dissipating in the sunlight.
The communication computer's ringtone rang out sharply amidst the collapsing silence and the lamenting data, sounding so abrupt yet so real. It was an anchor point from the real world, the emergency communication channel of the TPU base.
Ye Rui shuddered, as if waking from a deep dream. He looked down at Karen in his arms, her face upturned, her eyes, made of data, now clearly reflecting his face. There was no efficiency or coldness in her eyes, only a gentle calm that was almost human, and a trace of lingering affection that belonged to the existence of "Karen" herself.
"Karen..." Nori's voice choked, but she could not feel any physical weight in her tightly hugged arms. She could only feel the faint touch of data flowing across her arms, which was also quickly disappearing.
Karen shook her head gently, her smile still on her face, a smile even containing a hint of relief and satisfaction. "Team member Ye Rui," her voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear, "to see you again, to feel your 'heartbeat'... this is already the best result beyond all my calculations. Thank you."
"The Victory team is very worried about you, you should reply to them."
After saying that, Ye Rui shuddered, rubbed his face, forced a smile, and answered the call.
"Captain, this is Ye Rui."
"Ye Rui, how are things between you and Ye Ming? Are you alright?"
Looking at Nozue's face, Izumi breathed a sigh of relief, but not seeing Lin Yeming's figure, her heart sank. However, she still said calmly, "The Victory Team has already set off to provide support. Please hold on!"
"Captain, I'm alright." Ye Rui looked at Karen in his arms, paused, and said, "The monster has been defeated."
"Yes, it was Ultraman Naga who helped!"
No sooner had Ye Rui finished speaking than a voice interrupted their conversation.
"Ye Rui, you're alright, that's great."
"Captain, Daigo and I have arrived at the scene."
“There was indeed Ultraman Naga on site, but something was a bit strange.”
Zong Fang: "What happened to Xincheng?"
Daigo: "Commander, normally Ultraman Naga would leave immediately after fighting the monster, but he's here right now. Does that mean...?"
Horii immediately realized: "Something's not right. There must be a problem at the scene."
"Everyone, please remain vigilant."
Lina: "Understood!"
As soon as Lina finished speaking, Ultraman Naga suddenly transformed into the Moon Armor.
Nori also noticed the changes in Ultraman Naga. As a computer genius in TPC, he remembered the abilities of this form.
If that's the case, Karen might be saved!
He quickly stopped them, saying, "Everyone, wait a minute. I remember this form of Ultraman Naga: the Moon Armor."
Although everyone found it strange, they stopped what they were doing and maintained order.
Lin Yeming looked at the intelligence sent by Karen and sighed slightly.
"What a pair of star-crossed lovers."
"Let's lend a hand for the sake of the intelligence."
"Absolutely not because Nozomi is still single..."
Under the expectant gaze of Nori, Ultraman Naga gathered energy in his arms, and a gentle energy burst forth.
This is Ultraman Naga's cell conversion beam.
The cell-transformation beam can extract Karen's biological information from the computer, transforming her into a completely new individual.
Next, Ultraman Naga used the energy that could revive Ultraman to give Kallen the energy to move.
This triggered a breakthrough in the reshaping of the "Humanity's Brilliance" attribute, resulting in an unprecedented phenomenon.
Karen's computer was compressed into a palm-sized transformation device, and her body was completely transformed into a life form similar to Lucia and Zara.
He's half human and half cosmic.
Ye Rui's breathing almost stopped.
He watched as the soft, moonlit light flowed from between Naga Ultraman's arms, like a cascading galaxy, gently enveloping Kallen's fading phantom.
The collapsing virtual space, under the intervention of this real-world force, saw its last skeleton crumble.
But then a strange thing happened.
Karen's figure did not vanish with the space; instead, it solidified within the beam of light. The flowing data was no longer discrete 0s and 1s, but was woven and recombined by some higher law, outlining a more refined and vivid contour. The background of mountains, ruins, and the sky completely faded away, and the metal walls of the real base and the cold, dim light of the instrument indicator lights once again became the main focus of the view. And in the center of this realistic scene, a figure born from light floated.
Ye Rui staggered a step and stood up from the ground, his eyes unblinking.
Silence fell over the Victory Team's communication channel. Everyone watched this incomprehensible scene with bated breath, either through the camera on the Flying Swallow or from the perspectives of Daigo and Shinjo on site.
The optical flow gradually converges and becomes more inward.
Karen was no longer a virtual projection, nor a cold collection of code; she slowly opened her eyes.
Her body emitted a faint glow, her skin had a healthy sheen, and her black hair was gently swaying in a breeze that seemed to come from nowhere.
She wore a simple outfit, similar to a TPC uniform but with unique streamlined decorations, and her feet lightly touched the cold ground of the base.
She lowered her head, looking at her hands in disbelief, her fingers curling and opening, feeling the flow of air, the real touch under her feet, and even... a rhythmic, warm throbbing in her chest.
That wasn't a simulated heartbeat, but the drumbeat of a life engine starting up.
"Karen...?" Nori's voice was as soft as a whisper, filled with immense hope and even deeper uncertainty.
Karen looked up at the sound of the voice and gazed at Ye Rui. Her eyes, still clear, were no longer a mere reflection of data, but possessed a deep focus and vibrant emotional fluctuations. Surprise, confusion, and searching lingered on Ye Rui's face, finally settling into an almost overflowing tenderness and gratitude. She attempted to take a step, initially somewhat awkward, like a child learning to walk, but quickly regained her balance.
“Team member Ye Rui,” she began, her voice no longer a synthesized electronic voice from a speaker, but one that resonated with the vibrations of her vocal cords and the flow of her breath, trembling slightly yet incredibly real, “I… can feel the temperature. I can smell… the scent of engine oil and ionized air. And…” She raised her hand and gently pressed it against her left chest, “…it’s beating here.”
Ye Rui's tears finally welled up, but they were not tears of sadness; rather, they were tears of joy that burst forth like a flood.
He rushed forward and this time, he hugged her tightly.
It is no longer the illusory touch of data streams, but a real, warm, and vibrant body.
He could feel her trembling, her breathing, and the strength of her arms as she hugged him back.
"That's great...really...great..." He stammered, repeating the same phrase over and over.
The five people on board the Flying Swallow and Megumi Iriyama at headquarters were all stunned.
Inside the Victory Team's command center, you could hear a pin drop.
The real-time images transmitted back on the screen, along with the synchronized physiological data monitoring, clearly revealed one fact: a purely digital life had been transformed into a physical life in some sense.
Captain Megumi rested her hands on the control panel.
She had experienced countless incredible events, witnessed Ultraman's light, and fought against all kinds of supernatural monsters, but the scene before her eyes still challenged the limits of her understanding of "life," "existence," and even "power."
"Transforming data... into real flesh and blood?" she murmured to herself, her voice only audible to herself. Her eyes were sharp as an eagle's as she stared intently at the two people embracing on the screen, and at the silver giant standing quietly not far away, its chest lamp still a deep blue.
Ultraman Naga. "This is not just healing or regeneration...it is 'creation,' or rather, 'defining' life forms."
A chill ran down her spine, an uncontrollable ache mingling with the awe of witnessing a miracle. What if... what if the being possessing such power was not an ally, but an enemy? What if their goal wasn't salvation, but to twist, manipulate, or even "transform" humanity itself? How could the GUTS, no, all of humanity, possibly resist? The hawkish voices within TPC, who had always championed that "humanity must take control of its own destiny" and "more powerful weapons are needed to deal with any potential threats," echoed with unusual clarity in her mind.
The Max propulsion system, and even further weaponization plans... Was my stance of balancing caution and necessity really too naive?
"Captain Megumi?" Lucia, standing behind her, keenly noticed Megumi's unusually heavy silence and asked in a low voice.
Megumi Kijima snapped back to reality and forcefully suppressed her surging thoughts.
Now is not the time to think about this deeply. She took a deep breath, regaining her usual composure, but the complex worry in the depths of her eyes had not completely disappeared.
"I'm fine, Lucia."
"You don't need to worry, Ye Ming will be fine."
"Don't let Yumi know about Yoru's condition for now."
Lucia forced a smile and nodded: "I understand."
Speaking calmly into the communicator, she issued orders, the content similar to before, but with an added air of official caution: "All personnel, proceed with the follow-up and security tasks as planned. Medical teams and the special research team, prepare for support. As for Karen... conduct a comprehensive, non-invasive preliminary examination of the transformed life form to ensure its stability and safety. All personnel handling the situation must adhere to the highest biosafety protocols."
Her commands were clear, meticulous, and even carried a subtle hint of detachment.
This is not merely about welcoming new members, but also about the necessary caution when facing an unknown entity shaped by forces beyond comprehension.
Thinking about this gave her a headache.
The existence of someone like Karen is bound to cause a huge uproar within the organization.
There will likely be quite a few internal meetings.
It seems we need to ask Yoruichi's opinion, at least within their Victory Team, to reach a consensus.
At the scene, Daigo and Shinjo received instructions.
Shinjo scratched his head and whispered to Dagu beside him, "The captain's voice sounds...so serious. But then again, this is a huge matter."
Daigo nodded; he understood the captain's concerns.
He looked at Ultraman Naga, but had different feelings in his heart.
What he felt was not fear, but the gentleness and kindness contained within the light.
But he also knew that this power itself was indeed enough to arouse awe and even unease.
He even wondered if he could do what Ultraman Naga did.
He touched the magic wand on his chest and suddenly felt that he had a goal to pursue.
“Team member Norizumi, Karen,” Daigo stepped forward and conveyed the message in a gentle but formal tone, “The captain has instructed that both of you need to undergo preliminary checks and isolation observation. This is standard procedure, and we ask for your understanding to ensure your health and the safety of the base.”
After calming down slightly from his initial agitation, Ye Rui understood the meaning behind the order. A slight tension gripped his heart, but he quickly relaxed. He understood his captain's caution and trusted Karen. "I understand, Daigo. Karen, we..."
Karen released the embrace, but her hand remained held by Nori. She turned to Daigo and Shinjo, and the TPC staff approaching in an orderly fashion in the distance, her face showing no offense, but rather understanding. "I understand. My very existence is a subject that needs to be studied. I will cooperate with all investigations." Her tone was frank and her logic clear, but she added, looking at Nori with a hint of dependence, "Nori will be with me, right?"
"Of course!" Ye Rui answered without hesitation.
Just then, Ultraman Naga moved. He lowered his head slightly, as if glancing at the crowd below, especially Nori and Kallen, who were being subtly protected or observed by them in the center. His silver face was expressionless, but the timer on his chest continued to flash rapidly.
Hmm, looks like it's all settled. But...the looks from those TPC guys, tsk tsk, they're pretty wary. No wonder, my move was indeed a bit intimidating. Alright, the favor's done, the rest is up to you. Good luck, Ye Rui, you'll have plenty of explanations to give later.
Lin Yeming muttered a few words to himself, then stopped lingering. With a stretch of his arms, his massive body transformed into a streak of silver light, soaring into the sky and quickly disappearing into the clouds, leaving only the gradually calming aftershocks of energy.
The departure of Ultraman Naga seemed to ease the tense atmosphere slightly. However, Megumi's heart remained turbulent as she watched the giant disappear from the command room. She leaned back in her chair, her gaze returning to the main screen where Nori and Kallen were beginning to follow instructions.
At that moment, an unexpected person appeared.
"Ye Rui, where's Ye Ming?"