I was transported to a broken world, yet my dreams are connected to Star Iron?

　Items whose symbolic meaning outweighs their practical use will be given abilities by the system that "match their meaning."

　For example, this temporary betting stake... never mind, you should see it for yourself.

　Helpless, customer service representative Xiaoqi brought up a detailed item panel for Lingmo.

　[Temporary Gambling Funds (Rechargeable)]

　【Category: Curious Item】

　【Star Rating: Five Stars】

　[Upon using this artifact, the user will receive a fixed amount of additional energy and a special crystal that serves as an energy carrier for proliferation and use. The energy will not regenerate automatically, and the artifact lasts for forty minutes.]

　[After the duration ends, the digestive fluids generated by the temporary gambling funds will absorb double the energy from the user. If there is no energy left to absorb, it will directly consume the user.]

　The cooldown period for this rare item is forty days.

　Chapter 7 Would you rather be a test subject for life, or a giant cup for forty minutes?

　"..."

　Lingmo was silent for a moment, then slowly uttered a sentence: "This thing... it gives me a really strong sense of déjà vu."

　【Huh? What, what's with this sense of déjà vu...】

　"Hmm... maybe..."

　Lingmo thought for a moment and said, "Would you rather be a stinky medium cup for the rest of your life, or a super large cup for forty minutes?"

　[Uh... well, although, the improvement this artifact provides in the later stages is actually quite limited. I just checked, and its so-called extra energy bar is roughly equivalent to the internal energy reserves of a third-generation B-rank Valkyrie armor set.]

　"But at least for me now, this is already a fairly valuable item. According to the instructions on it, using this strange object should grant me the ability to control this special crystal, and it also solves my predicament of having bullets but no guns."

　"but……"

　Lingmo stroked her chin thoughtfully and said, "Let alone this strange object, I have never even come into contact with imaginary energy. I have come into contact with Honkai energy, which is a derivative energy, quite a lot, but it was all forcibly poured into my body, so I can't say I can control it... So, will I really be able to control this item?"

　Don't worry about that, the system will help you with any usage tips.

　Customer service representative Xiaoqi spoke with absolute certainty.

　[For the rare items and weapons you draw, the system will automatically assign related memories to you when you use them. Of course, if the time limit for those items expires, these memories will also disappear. However... only the part assigned by the system will disappear. If the host forms their own understanding through these memories during this period, then that part of the memory will not be reclaimed.]

　"So convenient?"

　Lingmo paused for a moment: "And this ability... you're not some kind of system sponsored by Fuli, are you?"

　【How could that be... Although the system can do many things, it's best for the host not to think about cooperating with the Star God anytime soon.】

　"Star God, that's too far away for me. My primary goal right now is..."

　Lingmo flipped through the items she had drawn this time, her smile becoming even more "sunny": "Let's try to escape from the Tower of Babel first!"

　……

　As night fell, probably because the new equipment had arrived and a large-scale experiment on Suzumo's immortality would be conducted the next day, the entire Tower of Babel fell into a deep silence early on.

　As an important "participant" and "sponsor" in that major project, Lingmo was radiant at this moment.

　Because tonight is the night she plans to escape.

　“Strictly speaking, the entire Babylonian laboratory can be divided into two parts.”

　Lingmo dipped her finger in water and whispered to Xilin about the structure of the entire tower on the bed sheet.

　After all, since her immortality was discovered, Lingmo was transferred to a higher-level laboratory, so she is much more familiar with the entire Tower of Babylon than Xilin.

　"First, there's the area we're in, which I call the living area. We're on the fourth floor of the living area. This area is characterized by its circular structure, and the entire living area is accessed solely by a circular staircase that encircles the inner wall of the Tower of Babel."

　"On the second to fifth floors of the living area, there are cages for experimental subjects like us. Furthermore, we are isolated from the first and sixth floors. To reach other floors, we must use the elevator in the center of the tower."

　"Secondly, there is the experimental area, which is the area above the sixth floor. When we are taken to the experiment, we are led by researchers and taken to higher floors by the central elevator using access cards. I found that the guards in the guard room on the second floor also have these access cards, so they are not difficult to obtain."

　"So, it seems that all we need to do to escape is steal the guard's access card?"

　Xilin tilted her head.

　"No, it's far from that simple."

　Lingmo shook her head: "Because the Babylon Laboratory is an integrated laboratory, and outside is the vast snowfield of Siberia, few people usually leave the tower except for transporting supplies and capturing experimental subjects. I saw the situation on the first floor when I was captured. It was full of black containers, and I don't know what's inside."

　"But that's not the point. The point is that if we want to get to the first floor, it seems we can't go down through the central elevator. Instead, we have to go through the freight elevator behind the central elevator."

　"A freight elevator...?"

　Sirin asked, somewhat puzzled, "Then, do we need a new access card?"

　"That's right. Because logistics and research belong to different systems, and also to prevent researchers who have obtained this classified experimental content from leaving the tower without permission, the freight elevator access control requires a separate access card in addition to the original access card. As for the location of this access card..."

　Lingmo sighed: "I'm all too familiar with this. After all, the new torture instruments used on me every day are delivered on the spot. I don't know about the other access cards, but there's definitely one access card in the thirteenth-floor laboratory where I'm usually experimented on."

　"The thirteenth floor? That's way too dangerous..."

　Sirin asked with some concern, "So, our escape route requires us to first go to the second floor to get the guard's access card, then go to the sixth floor to enter the experimental area, then go to the thirteenth floor to get the access card for the freight elevator, and finally break through the blockade on the first floor?"

　"Yes, the structure of the Tower of Babel is this kind of twisted 'doors cannot be opened from this side'."

　Lingmo ruffled Xilin's hair: "But... I do have some ways to save time."

　“However, Sirin.”

　Lingmo crouched down, looked directly into Xilin's eyes, and asked earnestly, "Can I trust you?"

　"Huh? Why all of a sudden..."

　Xilin blinked, clearly not understanding why Lingmo was suddenly doing this, but seeing Lingmo's serious expression, Xilin nodded without hesitation: "Yes, of course!"

　"Okay, during the upcoming escape, I may use some amazing gadgets and abilities that you have never heard of or seen before, and you may not see anything like them even in your future... This will be one of the deepest secrets I will keep hidden in the future."

　Several items appeared out of thin air in Lingmo's hands: "So, Sirin... can you share this secret with me for the rest of your life?"

　"I, the rest of my life...to...?"

　Clearly, Celine, with her face flushed, wasn't focusing her attention on the right place.

　"Don't worry, Rinma! I'll keep this secret until I die!"

　"Okay, my little angel~ But, please don't say things like 'Is he/she dead' so casually, okay?"

　Lingmo took out a black glove and a completely transparent wristband, and put them on Xilin's slender arm.

　"Next, I'll teach you how to get the access card to the second floor..."

　Chapter 8 Ten Thousand Enemies / Mebius: Remember to pay the copyright fee.

　Theoretically speaking, the best way to ensure Sirin's safety is to have Sirin as one's accessory, and to have one's own person carry out all the steps.

　The problem is, Suzuma doesn't think the Babylonian Laboratory would be completely unprepared for her actions.

　Moreover, according to the process that Sirin mentioned before, even if it is done quickly, it would take at least half an hour to complete the whole process. With such a long time, even if the Babylon Laboratory is a makeshift operation, it would probably be able to react quickly enough.

　Even if Suzuma has temporary gambling funds as a trump card, she could easily find herself in a predicament of being delayed.

　So, after deciding to escape with Sirin, Suzumo had been preparing another plan.

　That is... to split into two groups.

　The part of the task that was relatively safer, stealing the access card, would be left to Xilin to complete alone. Meanwhile, she herself would go to the thirteenth floor to find the access card for the freight elevator while Xilin obtained the access card.

　To achieve this goal, the first step is to give Sirin the ability to steal access cards independently. To this end, Lingmo gave Sirin Black Tower's black silk gloves and a camouflage wristband. The former can automatically crack some simple smart devices, while the latter is a part that Black Tower removed from the spaceship's optical camouflage system, which can make Sirin invisible.

　In addition, to guard against the worst-case scenario, Lingmo specifically gave Xilin the scalpel that could cut through iron like mud, which can be said to have brought Xilin's security to the maximum.

　So here's the problem: if Xilin goes to get the access card for the second floor, what will Lingmo do in the meantime? Will she just wait for Xilin to come back?

　The answer is obviously no. From the items she had acquired before, Lingmo found one that would allow her to teleport to the thirteenth floor alone. With the help of this item, she and Xilin could complete a dual-track operation, minimizing the time difference.

　Furthermore, this thing... is also an "old friend" that Suzuma is very familiar with.

　【Boundary Anchoring False (Consumable Type)】

　【Type: Item】

　Star Rating: Four Stars

　[This beacon is a replica created by Ms. Black Tower after she researched and preserved the pioneering energy of the Star Train, based on her research on the original boundary anchoring technology. Due to the limited amount of pioneering energy stored within it, this beacon can only be used once and is for single-person use only.]

　[Users can set boundary anchors at any location they have visited. After setting a beacon, it can be activated at any time within one day using energy, and the user will be teleported to the location where the beacon was set. With system improvements, the beacon itself is invisible to non-pathfinders. The boundary anchor disappears after one use.]

　After acquiring the item, Suzumo immediately set up the beacon in the laboratory on the thirteenth floor. Although this seemed like a waste for such a strategically important item, Suzumo couldn't worry about that at this critical moment.

　"Alright... I've explained how to use each item, now..."

　"Don't worry, I'll definitely come find Lingmo with the access card as soon as possible!"

　Seemingly due to nervousness, Celine's face was slightly flushed, and even her voice trembled a little.

　"...No, Sirin."

　Lingmo, contrary to her usual behavior, shook her head: "Put aside whether it's as soon as possible or not. I need you to promise me that if you encounter any problems, you must prioritize your own safety."

　"Even if the escape plan fails in the end, I will most likely not die. I will just suffer a little. But Sirin, for you, life is only once."

　"It's the same for Suzuma, isn't it? You haven't even tested what conditions need to be met for your resurrection. So far, you can only guarantee your resurrection under the erosion of Honkai energy."

　Celine pouted: "You're not allowed to take your life for granted!"

　"Hmm, you've reminded me...maybe that's really the case?"

　Lingmo's expression was somewhat strange. Although she knew that her immortality was related to the system and that it was indeed an unconditional resurrection, Sirin's statement was quite in line with the world view of Honkai Impact.

　After all, this is the case with the resurrection of the snake. Each death of the snake restores its body, which is riddled with holes from the Honkai energy, to its original state. After the resurrection, the Honkai energy that was originally eroding it does indeed disappear. In terms of its manifestation, this can be considered as absorbing the surrounding Honkai energy and then resurrecting, just like the snake.

　However, regardless of whether this speculation is true or not, since the manifestations are exactly the same, it is indeed possible to explain the principle of one's resurrection in this way when facing others later...

　"Huh? So it really wasn't an unconditional resurrection after all..."

　However, Lingmo's admission startled Xilin: "Then... then... how about you keep these things, Lingmo..."

　"Okay, don't worry."

　Lingmo rubbed Xilin's head: "Even if my resurrection really has conditions, it must be the kind that are hard to find. For example, it might require a large amount of Honkai energy to replenish, or it might not be able to damage the tenth thoracic vertebra or something... Anyway, since no hidden conditions for resurrection have been found so far, let's just assume it's an unconditional ability for now."

　"A large amount of Honkai energy is needed... We can't damage the tenth thoracic vertebra..."

　Clearly, Xilin didn't completely believe Lingmo's comforting words. Rather, she seemed to have taken Lingmo's joking words seriously and kept muttering them to herself.

　"Hey, I already said it was a joke..."

　[Beep—Access control unlocked]

　With the help of the Black Tower Gloves, the dormitory door, which was originally locked, was easily opened. Since the lock was a very old-fashioned electronic combination lock and was not connected to the Tower of Babel terminal, the noise of the two opening the door did not attract any attention.

　"Lingmo, please be careful!"

　Xilin glanced at the direction of the elevator, then earnestly gave Lingmo some instructions.

　"Don't worry, I remember you wanted to go to the amusement park, right? I'll take you there once we escape this time."

　Lingmo blinked, then quickly activated the Pioneer Beacon.

　In an instant, accompanied by a fleeting flash of light, Lingmo's figure disappeared before Xilin's eyes.

　"Spatial abilities are amazing... I wish I had one like that too."

　Celine lightly tapped the wristband on her hand, and her figure slowly disappeared into the air.

　Chapter 9 Lingmo: Finally, I've witnessed the legendary, astonishing wisdom...

　Although she was tasked with searching the thirteenth-floor laboratory, Suzumo wasn't actually very familiar with the places where she usually underwent experiments.

　After all, although she does sit-ups here every day and it's a common respawn point in a way, being forcibly injected with Honkai energy is not a pleasant experience. In most cases, before Suzumo can even take a few more glances at the situation, she will enter a state of physical darkness and then run into the Star Iron to set off human fireworks.

　Therefore, this time, returning to the laboratory via boundary anchoring was actually the first time Suzumo had carefully observed this place.

　The laboratory wasn't very big; it only had one workbench with restraint straps and other equipment on it. Around the workbench were several desks and various instruments.

　However, it seems that some new products will be installed here tomorrow, so the original equipment has been moved away, making the whole laboratory seem a bit empty. Of course, this makes it more convenient for Suzumo to work.

　only……

　"Strange...where did I put that card?"