This Spiritual Energy is Lethal!
Chapter 447: The Brain in the Jar

Chapter 447: Chapter 447: The Brain in the Jar

The surrounding walls were peeling and cracking, bricks falling onto the bed and the ground before dissipating into colorful tiny particles.

The scene was engulfed in darkness as Chen Ke swooshed down, accelerating under the force of gravity, crashing onto a flat surface with a thud.

His body jolted violently, chest hitting the ground first, then his head, without making a sound, but a strong shockwave came from the inside, violently pounding at his own chest.

Chen Ke moaned, "Puh-oh," and spat out a mouthful of blood with a warm throat.

As the darkness in front of his eyes slowly faded away, Chen Ke could no longer feel his legs and left arm. He lay prone, his head tilted on the floor, observing a puddle of purple liquid in front of him.

The floor was white, and the "beep beep beep" sounds of various electronic instruments echoed in his ears. In his line of sight, opposite Chen Ke, was a row of grey canisters.

Dozens of cables, as thick as an adult’s arm, attached to these canisters, secured to iron racks. The cables trailed to the ground, tangled together, stuffed into the corner, extending along the base of the wall to both sides.

The canisters were as tall as a person, each with a ring of LED light strips at the top and bottom, some flashing red lights, others green.

"The homeward effect has occurred... beginning to return..."

"Are you sure we should start now? He has vomited blood..."

Chen Ke heard a man and a woman conversing, unable to turn his head, he could only keep his face to the ground while his right arm lay spread out to one side.

A pair of legs appeared within his vision, clad in black stockings and red high heels, and the woman squatted down, seemingly caressing his face.

"Help us one more time," she said, using Mandarin.

Chen Ke could not see above; his vision included only the woman’s lower body. She wore a white lab coat, and the black stockings at her knees had turned white from the stretching of her bending limbs.

"Preparing for the 742nd reboot," said the woman.

"Gurgle... thump..." Chen Ke felt his heart being struck by some kind of pulse, as if someone was hitting him from the inside.

"Ugh..." Chen Ke made an inhuman groan as if he had been injected with anesthesia, and once again, he was pulled into darkness.

...

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

"Chen Ke?"

Someone was gently calling his name, shaking his shoulders.

"Chen Ke?"

A wave of nausea surged to his chest, and when Chen Ke opened his eyes, he used his left hand to prop himself up and retched for a while. He felt a twisting pain in his stomach, which subsided in an instant, with bitter juices seeping from the walls of his mouth; he reached to taste it, his fingers coming back coated with purple blood.

"Chen Ke? You’re looking quite bad..."

Chen Ke looked up and saw Jacob squatting beside him.

Outside the window, the morning sunlight of Langdon brushed over the Taist River, casting beams through the windows of the abandoned building, bringing a bit of warmth to the cold foggy city.

The kids had already woken up, eating hard bread and a little milk, and Jacob also held half a slice of bread, which he seemed to intend to share with Chen Ke.

"What time is it?" Chen Ke, trying to stand up using the wall for support, realized that he had no feeling in his lower body.

Cold sweat slid across his forehead. This... he couldn’t have become paralyzed after just one night, could he?

"It’s 7:14 a.m. I got up this morning, saw you were still dreaming, so I didn’t disturb you, and went out to get some food," Jacob explained.

"I... had a nightmare," Chen Ke sighed, propping himself up with his hands, struggling to feel his lower body.

"Oh... seems like it. You looked pale this morning, and you were talking in your sleep. It was in languages I couldn’t understand... Chen Ke, are you sure you’re okay?" Jacob asked.

"I..." Chen Ke tried again and felt his little toes could move, followed by his entire left leg moving, though still very stiff, which was better than having no sensation.

"I’m fine, just too cold and a bit stiff. Go look after the children, I’ll be fine after a rest..." Chen Ke urged, not wanting Jacob to see his embarrassed state.

"The children can take care of themselves. Today I’ve arranged for them to track down the four Edwards," Jacob said with a smile.

"That’s good. Then I’ll be able to help you out quickly," Chen Ke nodded.

"Um... You better eat something. This bread might not be pleasant to chew, but at least it’ll fill your stomach. I’ll go get you some milk..." Jacob handed the bread to Chen Ke.

Chen Ke waved his hand and pointed to a child beneath the opposite wall, "I’m not hungry. You can give it to the bigger boys. I saw one tall and skinny one who looked quite hungry, probably didn’t get enough to eat."

"That’s Big Yage, he’s always had a big appetite. Are you sure you don’t want any?" Jacob asked again.

"I’m fine. Show these diamonds to the children and then..." Chen Ke said, pulling out his wallet from his pocket.

"Wait a minute... Where’s my Holy Diamond..." Chen Ke paused, finding his wallet empty.

Jacob looked at Chen Ke with a helpless expression, clapped his hands at the children, and then called out, "Jack!"

A child around six years old lifted his head to look at Jacob and quickly put his hands behind his back.

"Come here, Jack," Jacob beckoned.

"Please, Jacob!" Jack sighed.

"Come here, quickly!" Jacob ordered.

The other children, eating their bread, looked at Jack and giggled.

Jack approached Chen Ke with his hands still behind him, and Jacob, with one hand on his waist and the other on his forehead, said, "Jack, return the item to this gentleman."

"Can I keep one?" Jack asked hopefully.

"No," Jacob shook his head.

"Just one!" Jack began to haggle.

"Return them all to him, Jack! He is our guest!" Jacob urged with clenched fists.

"Alright, alright..." Jack sighed deeply and handed over the five blue diamonds to Chen Ke.

Chen Ke took the diamonds and smiled, "Your name is Jack?"

"Yes sir," Jack replied shyly.

"This kid is always causing me trouble. Your wallet and gun were stolen by him from the security station," Jacob said, shaking his head and touching his forehead.

Chen Ke, holding Jack’s small hand, smiled, "I don’t have anything on me to give you now, but I promise to bring you a souvenir next time we meet."

"Oh! Really? Better be something valuable!" The previously gloomy Jack suddenly brightened up, his cold little hand gripping Chen Ke’s wrist.

"I’ll do my best, Jack..." Chen Ke glanced at Jacob, who spread his hands to show he was helpless.

Now feeling normal sensation throughout his body, Chen Ke moved his shoulders and knees, using the wall to stand up, briefly paralyzed and quite shaken by the experience.

For some reason, he felt his physical condition had changed greatly recently. He, who never needed sleep, had actually fallen asleep last night and even went back to his college days.

Chen Ke didn’t think it was just a dream... but it wasn’t clear if it was time travel either... and the second dream was even stranger; he was sure he had been there.

What was the story with those researchers communicating in Chinese? Chen Ke couldn’t tell if that experience was simply time travel or a part of his own memory...

Chen Ke had a natural aversion to all research facilities and labs; he didn’t want to become a subject of dissection for science-crazed lunatics.

With this thought, Chen Ke felt an immense pressure; he had a bad feeling...

What if everything he had been through.... was just a figment of a brain in a vat?