1.47 The Key to Opening the Plot World

The female doctor's hologram nodded repeatedly: "Okay, no problem."

With the female doctor's authorization, the offshore platform base unlocked its access for Wu Chen. Evading the Major was clearly a deliberate move by the female doctor. After a series of transfers, including a switch to a deep submersible, they arrived at the underwater base, located inside the bridge (command tower) of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that had been sunk during the war. Because the carrier's deck was deeply buried in the seabed, only the bridge stood independently in the deep sea, which was why it was called the carrier island.

Before the Mutation Day, the purpose of Banhua Heavy Industries building the offshore platform was to acquire the cutting-edge technology inside this nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

After the Mutation Day, it was transformed by the female doctor into a survivor stronghold, becoming an underwater base to fight against mutated cyberware and the headquarters of the resistance.

"Hello, Wu Chen." The real female doctor was standing in front of the sterile airlock.

"Hello, Doctor." The airlock opened, and Wu Chen, having completed the disinfection procedure, smiled and replied.

Noticing Wu Chen's gaze, the female doctor instinctively touched her forehead: "As you can see, my brain suffered severe trauma. The damaged tissue was replaced by a cyberbrain, and to avoid infection by sclerosis, I can only live in seclusion, hiding here."

"I understand." Wu Chen nodded gently. This explanation was quite reasonable.

Perhaps it had been a long time since she last saw an outsider. Wu Chen's close scrutiny made the female doctor slightly flustered: "Please follow me."

Stepping into the elevator leading to the carrier's compartments, the female doctor explained: "After the war, Banhua Heavy Industries covertly repaired most of the damaged hull. Although its functions cannot be fully restored, it is still usable. Therefore, this aircraft carrier is also a submarine."

Wu Chen caught on: "As long as the accumulated water is pumped out, it can surface."

"Yes." The elevator door opened, and a massive wartime factory came into view. On the assembly lines were the most advanced pre-war U.S. mobile shells.

"They are all experimental models that didn't make it to actual combat," the female doctor told Wu Chen: "Just like this aircraft carrier, Banhua Heavy Industries restored most of the technical data of the U.S. mobile shells, except for the transformation technology, which is missing."

"I see." Wu Chen nodded lightly. No wonder the female doctor was so eager.

"Then, Your Excellency..." the female doctor inquired cautiously.

"I need to search your 'Technology Directory' to determine the 'equivalent exchange' technology," Wu Chen stated directly.

"No problem." The female doctor gladly accepted.

Returning to the carrier island, the female doctor opened the firewall and granted visitor privileges.

Wu Chen raised his smartwatch and connected the data cable.

The smart brain quickly searched the directory.

The female doctor was not surprised by the smart wristwatch Wu Chen wore. Moreover, visitor permissions only allowed reading the directory and could not write information. Of course, Wu Chen did not harbor any malicious intent either. After completing the search, the smart brain selected the latest version of Banhua cyberware. Its numerous advanced features far exceeded those of the mutated cyberware commonly seen everywhere in the city.

"Do you agree?" Wu Chen asked with a smile.

"Yes." This was one of the few cutting-edge technologies in the underwater base, and also one of the technologies the female doctor had in mind to use for exchange.

With the data transmission complete, the female doctor immediately disconnected the link between the base mainframe and the smartwatch, and returned with Wu Chen to the offshore platform. Caution was well-warranted, and Wu Chen did not mind.

The Major had woken up.

Confirming that the newly implanted cybernetic organs were functioning normally with no severe rejection reactions, the Major bid farewell to the doctor and left in company with Wu Chen.

Before leaving, the female doctor warned the Major that the newly implanted cyberware required a rejection period to pass before it could be used. Therefore, the purpose of this meeting was primarily to exchange the transforming mobile shell technology. For Wu Chen, exchanging technology with the female doctor was meant to advance the plotline. Even without the latest version of Banhua cyberware as an exchange, Wu Chen would still have satisfied the female doctor's request. Of course, the smart brain would surely weigh things carefully to ensure an equivalent trade.

Dropping the Major off at a safehouse in the city, Wu Chen successfully captured the first frame: Firearms Skill.

Since the new cyberware needed time to adapt, there was no need for Wu Chen to stay. Arranging their next meeting with the Major, Wu Chen boarded the Viper Skyhunter and returned to the Shattered City. Before parting, Wu Chen asked the smart brain: "After being captured, will the Major forget her firearms skill?"

"No," the smart brain answered with certainty.

"Then why did the syn-complex forget during the last private filming?" Wu Chen asked, puzzled.

"Master, as long as the Major's plotline continues to advance, she will not forget," the smart brain replied. "Previously, the syn-complex only suffered 'temporary amnesia'. If the Master had abandoned the filming halfway, the syn-complex would also have remembered."

"Understood." Wu Chen grasped the concept. The so-called "temporary amnesia" could be viewed as an additional effect (buff) upon capture. It belonged to an instantaneous influence that could be dispelled, or would vanish on its own as time passed. The rate at which the effect decayed was not only closely related to one's own abilities, but also depended on the mental state of the plot character and whether they resisted during the private filming. Of course, this was only a reasonable explanation given by the smart brain at the current stage. As the adventure deepened, more hidden plots were uncovered, and understanding of the rules grew more profound, the smart brain might perhaps offer a new explanation.

In short, regarding the shattered sanctuary, everything was an enigma.

"Master, once all five frames are captured, the harvest will likely be much more than just a single exclusive sanctuary card belonging to the Major," the smart brain asserted firmly.

Wu Chen thought of the black sugar cube: "Plot fragments."

"Precisely." The smart brain's fuzzy calculations were also based on this.

The different-dimensional spacetime door opened, and the Viper Skyhunter flew in and vanished.

Reappearing, it was already inside the hangar. The engines deflected, it made a U-turn on the spot, and the Viper Skyhunter landed steadily on the pad. Checking his watch, it had quietly reverted to base time. Less than two hours had passed.

Possessing a different-dimensional spacetime door that allowed free entry and exit into plot fragments had obvious benefits for Wu Chen. This was also the inevitable path for all major players in the Shattered City. In fact, whether it was the otaku's elevator or the bespectacled man's glasses, both were exclusive portals for entering and exiting plot fragments.

The smart brain judged that at the current stage, the best way for Wu Chen to acquire "Sanctuary Coins" was to push the main storyline of the "Ghost in the Shell A⁻-grade plot fragment," reach the next critical plot point, and then activate the plot harvesting mode. During this period, taking on commissions from camp players along the way to supplement daily consumption of Sanctuary Coins and accumulating power to safely survive the Cleansing Day was also an urgent priority.

"Master, 0427 Ren Shifei has sent an email," the smart brain took charge of the base instantly.

"What is it?" Wu Chen asked casually.

"The 0427 female player has repaired her exclusive sanctuary and can open the quantum channel at any time," the smart brain replied. Previously, it was Wu Chen who had traversed the dynamic edge to help the female player retrieve the fragments of her exclusive sanctuary. Today, the female player had finally used these fragments to activate quantum resonance and repair her exclusive sanctuary.

When Wu Chen rolled back the alien aquarium a few days ago, the smart brain had acquired a quantum beacon. It required the female player's "different-dimension variable chip" to open the portal. Wu Chen accepted the female player's commission precisely to forge this chip. Since the female player had repaired her exclusive sanctuary today, she could now manufacture the different-dimension variable chip.

"Can our own different-dimensional spacetime door manufacture the different-dimension variable chip?" Wu Chen asked again.

"The base cannot manufacture the 'different-dimension variable chip' yet," the smart brain explained. "Only by first creating the chip can the different-dimensional spacetime door be opened."

"The function of all 'different-dimension variable chips' is similar to the black sugar cube," Wu Chen thought for a moment and said.

"The different-dimension variable chip only has beacon functions, whereas the sugar cube is a plot fragment. The difference between the two is akin to the chip being the key to open the sugar cube world," the smart brain answered more accurately.

"Alright. Ask 0427 if it's convenient to go and get the chip now," Wu Chen nodded gladly.

"Yes." The smart brain acted immediately.

The female player replied promptly: Yes.

Thus, Wu Chen switched to the AE86 and headed to the female player's flat base numbered 0427.