Mother of Insects

Chapter 55

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Bryce didn't speak for a long time.

But from his solemn expression and frown, Lin Xi knew that he must be thinking seriously about what he said. This was probably why he loved Bryce so much—he would never regard Lin Xi's words as unrealistic fantasies, and he would always take everything that happened around Lin Xi seriously, no matter whether it was ordinary or extraordinary.

"A three-hundred-year-old ghost is now communicating with you through the electronic auxiliary chip in the skull and the human brain. This sounds quite..." Bryce paused for a moment, as if he was choosing his words, "like the beginning of a third-rate interstellar horror novel."

After a while, Bryce muttered softly: "Everyone knows that Captain Scripps Eden of the Providence is a true legend. Maybe he can really become a ghost."

However, precisely because Mr. Scripps had so many legendary historical deeds (the most sensational thing was of course that he was appointed captain of the Providence and then disappeared in space), when the ghost claiming to be him appeared, it always gave people a sense of unreality.

Of course, Bryce had no intention of telling Lin Xi about his thoughts.

He turned around and operated his personal terminal for a while—suddenly a large number of complicated reports flashed on the electronic projection screen.

Lin Xi looked over and found that those reports were detailed physiological data reports of the crew of the Apollo.

"These data are theoretically confidential."

Bryce looked at Lin Xi and said with a dark face.

“… But I think we can discuss the issue of confidentiality after we return to Earth.” He then added.

Even though the atmosphere between the two of them was particularly solemn at this moment because of their new discovery, Lin Xi couldn't help but pursed her lips and smiled after seeing Bryce like this.

"Bryce, you know, what I like most is your ability to adapt." Lin Xi complimented sincerely.

"You should be thankful for my role as a medical officer," Bryce shrugged, and he turned his gaze to the reports. "... Well, let's take a look. In addition to Ando and Jerry, who else on the ship has an auxiliary chip installed in his brain... If possible, we might be able to find him and find a way for you to get in touch with the mysterious ghost again."

With a few taps on his personal terminal, the crew members' information began to flash rapidly on the screen.

Every crew member selected for the Helios mission had all their physiological data recorded - this data was mixed with their previous flight experiences to form a huge and complex database.

Bryce and Lin Xi's search will take some time.

While waiting, Bryce began to contact Alyssa.

"She needs to know about this... If, as you said, there is something wrong with the aircraft."

Bryce said.

But what was somewhat unexpected was that after several consecutive attempts, Alyssa did not respond to Bryce's call at all.

The expression on Bryce's face gradually became solemn.

Not responding to calls might be a normal thing for some people, but it was definitely not unusual for Alyssa - as the deputy captain, she was always very busy, especially after the Apollo ran aground. She needed to pay attention to her communicator all the time to respond to the reports and requests for help that followed.

What's more, Bryce has a very different identity for her.

"Since boarding the Apollo, Alyssa has never ignored my communication requests." Bryce looked at Lin Xi and said this.

Lin Xi was shocked to see a hint of panic in Bryce's eyes.

"I think... she must be in some trouble."

Bryce said.

Alyssa silently pressed the communication request on the terminal.

Her back was completely soaked with cold sweat, and her mouth was filled with a faint smell of blood, which was caused by her trying hard to clench her teeth to prevent her teeth from chattering.

The surroundings around her were cold and dark, as if enveloping her like a monster's gullet.

Fear and despair surged towards Alyssa like a tide. She even held her breath involuntarily, fearing that her rapid breathing and heartbeat would let the person who was only separated from her by a metal plate... no, the monster... discover her existence.

How did things turn out like this

Even Alyssa herself could not explain it clearly. After all, just a few hours ago, she was still quietly staying in her office dealing with some not-so-urgent trivial matters. Since the former energy director Robert formed the so-called emergency team, he gradually took most of the things away from Alyssa, and Taran seemed to have acquiesced to this matter - of course he would be more satisfied with Robert, after all, those bastards were completely on Taran's side.

Alyssa didn't like Robert and the emergency team (see what they suggested, killing those Sunu creatures kept in hibernation chambers to save more energy?), but she had to admit that her job was much easier after those people showed up.

And before the panicked young crew member burst into her office, Alyssa was even thinking about whether she should have dinner with Bryce to relax.

"Sir... I need to report something to you... But..."

The crew member who came to see her was Robert's deputy, a very nice guy, but now he looked haggard and terrified, as if he had some serious illness.

"People are disappearing, sir, they are disappearing, one after another..."

When she first heard what the deputy said, Alyssa almost thought that this was another poor man who had developed hysteria because the spacecraft was stranded for a long time. After all, under the pressure of everyone's possible death, fragile humans always have some mental problems from time to time.

But the deputy produced evidence.

That's the list of people on board the spacecraft.

At first glance, the list seemed to be completely fine, and every day's automatic assessment was passed perfectly. But after some operations, the original file that was overwritten appeared in front of Alyssa.

"Robert and his team modified the task log. They do this every once in a while... and every time, it's to cover up the abnormal attendance..."

The young deputy said tremblingly.

Alyssa noticed that every time he spoke, he would look behind him nervously, as if he was afraid that someone would break in through the door.

But at this time, Alyssa no longer cared about the abnormal behavior of the deputy.

All attention was focused on the attendance record that had been revised countless times. Every once in a while, a few more names would appear on the record - followed by red warning marks that they had not completed their attendance. They did not show up at their scheduled work stations, nor did they stay in their rooms.

Even their physiological monitoring information disappeared.

Alyssa checked their identities. Just as she had already vaguely felt in her heart, these people were the lowest-level crew members. Their work locations and tasks were scattered in various parts of the old and complex hull of the Apollo, so even if they disappeared, it would be difficult for Alyssa and others, as senior crew members, to find them.

In the end, just as the deputy said, these people disappeared without a trace. Their work reports were still sent to the robot's terminal on a regular basis, but their messages had long disappeared.

Theoretically, once such a warning appears, it will be sent directly to the captain. In the vast universe, whether it is the defection of a crew member or always, it is considered a major accident, serious enough to put the entire ship on alert. However, according to the attendance record in Alyssa's hand at this moment, since the spacecraft ran aground, the identities of dozens of people have been directly erased from the record.

But from beginning to end, Alyssa didn't even notice it at all.

This is simply ridiculous, but it happened.

"This, this doesn't make sense..."

Alyssa looked at the records in disbelief, and when a certain code appeared repeatedly next to the erased records, her voice suddenly stopped.

She had never wished so much that she was in a nightmare.

That was Taran's clearance code.

Alyssa didn't like Taran, but she never thought that Taran would do such a thing - it was not Robert who modified the records of the missing crew members, but Taran himself.

Ah, yes, that's the only way it makes sense: an alert of this level of crew missing would indeed be passed directly to Taran at the first time, and only Taran could have modified those records without alerting anyone.

In a trance, Alyssa seemed to have returned to the time when she stood at the door of Taran's cabin. The look in the eyes of the man who slowly emerged from the darkness and the ominous feeling that made her tremble...

Alyssa took a long breath, trying hard to suppress her inner panic. Then she raised her head and looked at the young crew member whose spirit was close to collapse.

Her voice was dry as if it had been sanded.

"Go find a place... hide..." She didn't know why she said it, but she said it, following her instincts. "Someone on this ship is in trouble. You should feel it, right? Go hide somewhere. I'll find a way to deal with this. I have to do this."

The young crew member seemed to have noticed something, his cheeks twitched unnaturally, and then he turned around abruptly and ran out of Alyssa's office.

When Alyssa walked out of the office with heavy steps, the young man had disappeared. Alyssa hoped that he could follow her advice and find a safe place on the spaceship to hide himself.

Alyssa stood outside the office for a while, her mind was in a mess, but she felt an inexplicable sense of calm in her heart.

Maybe this is what it feels like when the "second shoe" drops... Alyssa found that she even had time to tease herself in her heart. The fear and indescribable uneasiness that she had always felt about Taran finally had an answer at this moment.

The author has something to say: Oh, I want my brother and sister-in-law to vomit.

Actually, as I was writing, I felt that Lin Xi was probably the happiest person in my stories. (Except for the sweet stories)

Although he was born as an orphan, his family was open-minded and happy, and his brother and sister-in-law treated him very well... His future husband... except for being ugly and uneducated... also, he didn't have any major problems...

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