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Chapter 164 Outdated Yet Advanced Powered Armor! Controlled Nuclear Fusion? (Please Subscribe)

"what?"

"Mech, holy crap! Mech! Holy crap, a mech!!!"

"You're really talented. It would be a shame if you didn't go to Deyun Club and give a solo performance."

Lang Jun was overjoyed. Judging from the deputy squad leader's attitude, his first thought was of this kid's dark past.

Their class was used to finding joy in hardship, and when not engaged in combat, they often did things that were startling and dramatic.

"Mecha... Hey Lao Lu, you don't think I'm... "

He suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Squad Leader Lu, the smile that had been on his face vanishing completely as if the tide had receded.

"Old Lu, are you sure you're not joking with me?"

"Why would I lie to a fool like you? It's true! Professor Dou Hanwen wants you to contact headquarters immediately! This is fucking weird! They've discovered a highly advanced mecha in the otherworldly ruins, damn it!"

"Damn! We've really unearthed an ancient technological civilization!"

Lang Junshi cursed under his breath, no longer having the slightest intention of joking with the soldiers in his squad.

He rushed to the communications station, picked up the microphone, and quickly switched to the communications channel.

"Contact D5 radar communication base station. This is Lang Junshi. Emergency situation! Ruins have been discovered on our front line, and power armor from another world has been found. Requesting immediate connection to headquarters command center!"

After the call was connected, Lang Junshi quickly recounted the matter!

"...Powered armor?...Okay, got it! I'll transfer you to headquarters now."

The communication station's signal tower, which has just completed its final debugging, is operating stably. Its powerful signal penetrates complex electromagnetic interference, and everyone no longer needs to painstakingly contact headquarters by using the primitive method of relaying signals with drones.

The signal was connected almost instantly.

Headquarters, Operations Control Room.

On the huge circular monitoring screen wall, hundreds of sub-screens are displaying the dynamics of various areas in real time.

On the main screen in the center, a green waterfall representing various data points refreshed smoothly.

Su Mingjin was signing some paper documents with her head down.

This concerns the allocation of supplies. In addition to online work, we also keep paper documents and records for filing.

The command room was relatively quiet at the moment. Apart from the low hum of the equipment and the soft tapping of keyboards, people rarely communicated.

Suddenly, the communications officer received an important message request from the D5 radar communication base station, and the previously sluggish command room immediately sprang into action.

At the top of the main screen, the window representing the D5 radar communication base station on the front line begins to enlarge, followed by a dispatch communication screen.

"General Manager Su, a top-priority communication request has arrived from the front lines!" a communications officer shouted.

Su Mingjin, who was busy with her head down, suddenly had a sharp look in her eyes, and her body involuntarily leaned forward.

On the screen, the image flickered briefly before quickly stabilizing, revealing Lang Junshi's face, which was covered in dust but unusually serious.

The background behind him is the archaeological site they are protecting!

"Headquarters, headquarters, this is Lang Junshi, is the signal clear?" Lang Junshi's urgent voice came from the speaker, slightly hoarse.

The adjutant beside Su Mingjin picked up the microphone, his voice steady and powerful: "My lord, the signal is connected, the voice is clear, and the image is stable."

"Professor Dou has made another major discovery!"

"A major discovery? Let's hand the communications over to Professor Dou first."

The command was brief, and Lang Jun responded crisply and decisively. He then turned to the side, straightened his back sharply, and gave a standard military salute in a direction outside the camera's view.

Immediately afterwards, he stepped back, giving up the main seat.

In front of the camera, an aged yet vigorous face slowly appeared.

The newcomer had gray hair and wore an old-fashioned pair of black-rimmed glasses. Behind the lenses, his eyes seemed to be able to see through the screen and pierce through all illusions.

This is Professor Dou Hanwen, who previously excavated the remains of an otherworldly personal refuge.

The professor, whom I hadn't seen for a few days, looked like he'd been working late and was severely lacking in rest. His clothes were covered in dirt spots, clearly indicating he'd just finished working.

"Professor Dou, please explain in detail what the power armor found in the ruins means?" Su Mingjin asked directly.

He is eagerly anticipating Professor Dou Hanwen's new discovery.

Dou Hanwen yawned, his face showing fatigue but his expression revealing excitement: "President Su, commanders, it's not easy to explain in a short time. Please take a look at our new discovery."

As he spoke, he gestured to Lang Junshi to adjust the camera and point it at something that hadn't been filmed before.

As the camera adjusts, a massive, clearly corroded metal structure slowly emerges from the excavated permafrost, revealing a menacing corner of its form.

It was a cold, dark, curved metal object that resembled armor.

It is covered with traces of time's corrosion and bullet holes, but surprisingly, the metal object has very little rust.

Such a massive metal structure was surprisingly not heavily corroded by the soil.

This is very strange!
"This...this was found deep inside?"

“Yes! We found it using a metal detector,” Dou Hanwen replied directly.

"It looks like a large robot?"

"No, it's not a robot. This thing has a lot of internal holes; it should be wearable heavy armor, right?"

"How can their armor be so thick? The enemy's battlefield environment must be extremely harsh!"

"The hole at the point of attack was so large; was it caused by the instantaneous penetration of extremely high-temperature energy?"

"I suspect it's a magical attack!"

"It's either a magic attack or an energy weapon attack!"

"The more I look at it, the more it resembles power armor."

Dou Hanwen, who was at the front-line archaeological site, clearly heard the intense discussion in the command center before he spoke up.

"Commander Su, esteemed commanders, I initially thought this thing was just a piece of junk armor, but as we excavated it, we discovered that its technology is incredibly advanced, even ridiculously so!"

Professor Dou Hanwen, carrying his camera, moved to a different position, revealing more details to the audience.

This should be a damaged piece of a giant's breastplate and shoulder armor.

The chest armor was enormous, wider than the chest and arms of a normal 1.8-meter-tall adult. It was clearly worn by someone of the Little Giant caliber.

The shoulder armor was shockingly thick, with the thickest part probably being 2.5 centimeters thick.

A huge hole, more than 37 centimeters in diameter, ran through the center of his chest.

Because Dou Hanwen had cleared away the soil, the metal at the edge of the hole could be seen to be in a strange molten state.

Many years have passed, and surprisingly, the molten area has not experienced much corrosion.

Some people couldn't help but swallow.

Just by looking at its size, many people feel that this creature must have been very tall and powerful in life, a violent tank that charged into battle.

"Hey, Professor Dou, could you please give us a close-up of the inside of the armor? Do those things look like some kind of carbon fiber composite layer?"

Dou Hanwen replied, "I don't know the specifics; we need to analyze it carefully."

"Those are bones, right? They look a lot like human bones, but they're mostly black. They've probably been there for a long time..."

Those at headquarters saw everything shown on camera, including the lively exchange.

"This thing definitely has very advanced technology."

"The armor design is really strange. How can you run around with it being so thick?"

"The weapon that destroyed this power armor is definitely interesting. The opening is so big, it couldn't have been attacked by an ordinary kinetic weapon, it must have been some kind of energy attack."

"President Su, comrades, don't rush after you've finished reading, there are other good things to come!" Dou Hanwen said.

Then, the video feed shook violently.

Once the footage stabilized, the camera focused on the object next to the massive structure, which was another object that the excavator had previously unearthed.

It was a metal artifact that had been almost melted into a lump by the high temperature, and its surface was covered with a thick layer of corrosion, but even so, its iconic outline of a modern lethal weapon was still clearly discernible.

"Zoom in, zoom in even more!"

In the command center, a weapons expert who had been urgently summoned practically shouted, leaning half his body in front of the screen.

Upon hearing the commotion, Dou Hanwen immediately pointed his camera at the source.

The charred, molten, corroded metal lumps are clearly visible under the high-definition lens.

Although no details were available, the structure resembling a stock, barrel, and shaft instantly plunged the command post into a deathly silence.

"Damn..." an elderly professor with gray hair muttered to himself, adjusting his glasses as if trying to see through the thick layer of corrosion on the screen, "Is this thing a gun?"

"It's definitely a gun! No doubt about it!" another expert said decisively. "Look at the structure of this thing. Its appearance is very similar to some electromagnetic acceleration weapons."

"Yes, the power armor user is very tall, and the weapon is also very tall, which fits our definition of a firearm! I even think that this is not a rifle at all, but a man-portable gun!"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp of astonishment rippled through the command center.

Su Mingjin's pupils suddenly contracted, and the hideous silhouette on the screen was reflected in her eyes, flashing with a cold light.

Her fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table, one tap after another, the rhythm getting faster and faster.

Power armor... and now we have a "suspiciously otherworldly individual weapon/cannon"?

These things, taken individually, are a pleasant surprise, a windfall that could propel technological advancements.

But when they were dug out from the same pit, their nature changed completely.

These are not ceremonial guards or decorations, but a complete set of killing machines used in war, indicating that this was once an ancient battlefield.

Clearly, this war destroyed some ancient civilizations.

Why was a civilization with such advanced individual soldier equipment destroyed?

The enemy must be terrifying, right?

It would be interesting if civilizations were extremely hostile to each other, constantly killing each other, or if there were some incredibly powerful forces in this world.

If those power-armored giants were destroyed by an unknown enemy, just how powerful must that enemy have been?

By the way, how did the aforementioned civilizations disappear from this world?
A series of questions exploded in her mind, making her feel a strange palpitation.

My intuition is screaming for help.

What if the ancient civilizations of this world did not perish, but merely went into hibernation...

Su Mingjin dared not think any further. She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her turbulent thoughts, her voice completely calm: "Professor Dou, besides this, are there any other discoveries?"

"Not yet! We just cleared it out less than half an hour ago!" Dou Hanwen's voice was still excited; he clearly hadn't yet snapped out of his pure scientific euphoria. "President Su, I request additional manpower!"

His voice trembled with excitement: "Get all those guys from our rear who work on power engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials applications over here! The research value of this thing is immeasurable!"

As Su Mingjin listened to his incoherent request, a slight tremor appeared on her tense lips.

As she watched the scientist on the screen gesturing wildly over a metal lump, the heavy pressure in her heart seemed to lessen somewhat.

Yes, you have to eat one bite at a time.

Since we've already discovered an alien civilization, we can't just pretend to be ignorant forever, can we?

Let's dig deeper and learn about the civilization of this other world first.

"I understand, don't worry." Su Mingjin nodded in reply, then her tone returned to its usual calm and decisiveness, "The personnel and equipment will be in place as quickly as possible. Your task now is to continue digging, ensure the safety of the site, and not overlook any clues."

"understand!"

Despite the communication being cut off, the command center was still buzzing with discussion. All the experts were gathered around the frozen photograph of the firearm in the ruins, fiercely debating its principles and uses.

Su Mingjin slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the unfamiliar sky of another world in the distance.

She knew that from the moment the gun was unearthed, the nature of this exploration of another world had quietly shifted from "archaeology" and "resource exploration" to a more dangerous and serious direction.

This is no longer just a simple discovery of ancient ruins.

This concerns the future of two worlds.

"Could it be that, just as we thought, the world is more dangerous than we imagined?"

Thinking of the giant battlefield ruins in the far north, the mysterious disappearances of various animals, and the inexplicably destroyed detection devices, she felt the pressure once again.

After the communication ended, Professor Dou on the other end breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned to Lang Junshi, who was standing guard nearby, and forced a smile on his tired face: "Young Lang, I'll have to leave the rest to you."

Lang Junshi puffed out his chest: "Professor, please give your orders!"

“It’s not really an order,” Professor Dou waved his hand, pointing to the excavation site. “The cordon needs to be set up further back; not even a mouse can be allowed in. From now on, this area will likely become a key area of ​​focus for everyone.” The professor’s tone made Lang Junshi feel an unprecedented sense of pressure.

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

……

In less than an hour, the dull rumble had already torn apart the wind and snow in the sky.

Several Y-20 transport aircraft cast shadows as they landed precisely on a makeshift parking area under the urgent guidance of ground troops.

"Quick! Quick, quick, quick! Handle the equipment gently, and keep up!"

The hatch opened wide, and groups of people in various work clothes poured out.

They carried various sizes of precision instrument cases, and ranged in age from their twenties to their sixties, but all of them wore the same anxious expression.

The leading scholar didn't even have time to zip up his down jacket before heading straight for Dou Hanwen as soon as he got off the plane.

"Dou Hanwen, where are the things?!"

The leading scientist grabbed Dou Hanwen's arm, his cloudy old eyes gleaming with shrewdness, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Hey, slow down! The stuff won't run away!" Dou Hanwen said with a wry smile as he helped him up. "You need to take it easy. I can't be responsible if your heart can't handle it!"

"Hey, it's nothing..."

After a brief exchange, all the experts immediately put on their protective masks and gloves with remarkable speed and efficiency.

Some of them went to examine the breastplate, while others directed the engineering team to cut the soil in layers at the discovery site, packing up the frozen soil in whole blocks.

They've done this kind of thing more than once or twice.

Modern archaeology has long proven that sometimes the soil that tomb raiders disdain may contain lost history.

While this place is more likely to be a battlefield, who can guarantee that there aren't valuable clues hidden in the mud?

In just half an hour, amidst the clanging of metal, a huge permanent alloy canopy rose from the ground, completely shutting out the wind and snow.

Countless searchlights lit up the area, illuminating it as if it were daytime, and a bustling, top-notch archaeological site instantly took shape.

Lang Jun actually led his soldiers to extend the perimeter by another kilometer to guard against potential enemy attacks.

A few hours later, inside the makeshift command tent...

“Incredible…it’s an industrial marvel.” Qiu Yingzhuo, wearing gloves, lightly ran his fingertips across the molten hole in the power armor’s breastplate, then looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and fanatical fascination.

"The outer coating has long since corroded away, and what's surprising is that the decay of the main material is so low that it's negligible. Old Dou, if this thing were made by Earth standards, it probably wouldn't rust even after tens of thousands of years!"

Across from him, Dou Hanwen was looking at a newly released analysis report. Hearing his companion's words, he curled his lip and said, "These otherworldly guys seem to really like gold."

"Like a nouveau riche!"

Upon hearing this, Dou Hanwen laughed: "Have you found out the material of the tattoo on the chest yet?"

"It's out." Qiu Yingzhuo handed over the report. "Although it was completely melted by the high temperature, based on the remaining structure and ultra-high density, we deduced that it was gold. We then used AI simulation to restore it, and the chest features an emblem of outstretched golden wings."

He paused, then added, "I had Xiao Zhang estimate based on density and remaining volume. Just the gold ornaments on the breastplate and shoulder armor alone could yield at least five kilograms."

The tent fell silent for a moment. A young researcher nearby gasped and muttered, "Five kilograms... at the current price of gold, that could buy a large apartment in Beijing's Fifth Ring Road..."

"What a flamboyant and extravagant civilization!" Dou Hanwen exclaimed in amazement after reading the report. "Their gold refining level is also very high. I wonder just how powerful their industrial capabilities are."

"At least the ancient civilizations nearby must have been incredibly wealthy!"

Welding several kilograms of gold onto a high-tech power armor—no one can think of any other explanation other than having too much money.

"Old Dou is right!" Qiu Yingzhu lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled a smoke ring.

"The gold on the armor, apart from being denser, has nothing to do with the main material; it's purely decorative. Just like our ancient emperors, who insisted on embroidering their dragon robes with gold thread, as if afraid others wouldn't know they were rich."

Dou Hanwen was amused by him: "That makes sense. To take a suit of armor with ridiculously high performance and dress it up like a golden armor, that's certainly a unique taste."

Qiu Yingzhuo shifted his gaze from the huge hole in the breastplate to Dou Hanwen, who was examining the data beside him: "Have you analyzed the equipment that pierced it? What exactly is this tortoise shell made of?"

Dou Hanwen adjusted his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses gleaming with an almost fanatical light. He even subconsciously swallowed to barely suppress the tremor in his voice.

"This is an absolutely incredible discovery!" He looked up at Qiu Yingzhuo. "Old Qiu, I feel like our materials group won't have to worry about research topics for the next ten years. Just studying this tattered suit of clothing is enough to get them elected as academicians!"

"Oh? Is it that amazing?" Qiu Yingzhuo raised an eyebrow.

Dou Hanwen smiled with mixed feelings, a smile that contained shock, excitement, and a hint of frustration as a scientist.

"Miraculous? That's too conservative a word." He pulled a cigarette case from his pocket, his hand trembling slightly, and handed one to Qiu Yingzhuo. "Let's put it this way, if we compare this thing to the most advanced materials technology on Earth, from aerospace to deep-sea diving... our materials are just a pile of clods of dirt. Clods of dirt with substandard manufacturing processes!"

"Huh?" Qiu Yingzhuo, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, forgot to even light it, and froze on the spot.

I was just mocking someone for their tacky, nouveau riche taste, using gold as a sticker.

In the blink of an eye, it turns out that this gold-plated exterior actually has the potential to completely outperform Earth's technology.
The contrast left him a little confused.

Just as Qiu Yingzhuo was about to ask for more details, a suppressed gasp suddenly came from the excavation site not far away.

"Professor! Professor Dou! Come quick! We've made another discovery here!"

The two perked up, exchanged a glance, immediately dropped what they were doing, and ran over quickly.

Several deputies and researchers in charge of the project were gathered around a metal object that had just emerged from the ground, their expressions excited.

"The texture of this material is very unique, and it's very similar to the armor we just saw!"

"Be careful, use soft brushes and air blowers! Anyone who dares to use a shovel will be in trouble!" Old Wang took over the command on site.

For the next two hours, the atmosphere was so tense you could hear a pin drop.

As the soil was gradually cleared away, the outline of a metal backpack resembling a modern military backpack slowly emerged.

When the "alloy backpack," bearing large scorch marks and also pierced by an unknown energy weapon, was completely unearthed and carefully carried into the isolation tent, everyone held their breath.

Wearing gloves, Qiu Yingzhuo circled around it, carefully observing the sturdy buckles, the melted pipe joints, and the subtle, sophisticated internal components that seemed out of place in this era that could be glimpsed from the damaged areas.

"Old Dou, I have a guess." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a certainty.

Dou Hanwen was scanning with the detector when he heard this and looked up: "What?"

“This thing,” Qiu Yingzhuo pointed with his chin at the object inside the tent, “I feel like it’s the power source for the power armor from before!”

"Power source?" Dou Hanwen was stunned, then frowned. "Something this small can power that level of armor? Are you kidding me? Is it a nuclear-powered backpack?"

He laughed at himself after he finished speaking, thinking the idea was too far-fetched.

Qiu Yingzhuo didn't laugh. He flicked his cigarette ash, his eyes deep: "A civilization that can use gold as decoration and perfect crystals as armor, do you think it would be difficult for them to build a small reactor?"

Dou Hanwen's smile froze on his face.

Yes, with the level of technology displayed by that armor, what is impossible?

"Let's test it first!"

"Well, we can't rush to conclusions." Qiu Yingzhuo stubbed out his cigarette. "Let the analysis team get to work. I have a feeling no one will get any sleep tonight."

Interdimensional Command Center.

The office was filled with the delicate aroma of jasmine tea, but it couldn't mask the slight irritation between Su Mingjin's brows.

She put down her teacup, her fingertips tapping lightly on the cold tabletop, her gaze fixed on the data on the screen that looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

"I thought it was just a simple magical world, with some gods and magic, and that would be fine, but now they've added all this stuff..."

She muttered to herself, her tone revealing a sense of helplessness at being repeatedly slapped in the face by reality.

Before her was an analysis report that Dou Hanwen's archaeological team, in collaboration with multiple groups from the rear, including materials science and chemistry, had worked through the night to produce.

Every line of text, every piece of data, was once again overturning her understanding of this strange world.

After analysis and comparison, the scientists of the pioneering team confirmed that the users of the power armor they unearthed were likely from the Giants civilization.

The skeleton of the other person is very similar to that of a human.

And everyone now knows about the materials used in that amazing power armor.

The power armor is made of a combination of ultra-high purity, ultra-fine grained alumina or silicon carbide ceramic fibers.

These fibers are infiltrated with a nanostructure-optimized metal alloy and bonded to it at the molecular level.

It is unknown what method this armor uses to eliminate microscopic defects and optimize grain boundaries.

All they knew was that this thing was extremely powerful.

The materials analysis team not only found materials such as titanium, tungsten, and molybdenum-based materials on those armors, but also some materials such as adamantite.

These materials possess a crystal lattice structure that is considered extremely perfect by human eyes, approaching the theoretical limit of interatomic bonding.

The production of these materials, especially the most basic ones mentioned above, is beyond the capabilities of humankind on Earth at present.

Furthermore, there is no need to freely adjust or combine its atoms.

Perhaps worried that Su Mingjin and others would not understand it at all, the materials scientists also used some very special comparison methods.

For example, the armor material that was just unearthed is much stronger than human nickel-based alloys.

This material possesses strong resistance to kinetic weapons as well as resistance to ultra-high temperatures.

It is an incredibly powerful material that can be used in aerospace, fighter jets, and many other fields.

Looking at the incomprehensible terms "ultra-high purity alumina ceramic fiber," "nanostructure optimized metal alloy," and "directional energy sintering technology," Su Mingjin rubbed her temples in exasperation.

It took her a while to flip to the end of the report's conclusion.

The experts in the materials group seemed to have anticipated that the leadership would read the end of the report, and then summarized it in an almost crude manner at the end.

"...In summary, the overall performance of this armor material surpasses our most advanced nickel-based superalloys by at least three times. Its perfect crystal structure provides extremely high resistance to impacts from kinetic and energy weapons..."

"Note: Professor Dou Hanwen compared it with all of our materials science and technology on the spot, describing our technology as a pile of clods of dirt..."

Su Mingjin's lips twitched involuntarily.

A clod of earth?
These researchers really don't hold back when they're being sarcastic.

A quality advantage of several times over is not just a simple technological gap; it's a game-changer in the field of materials science!
This means that even human armor-piercing bullets would likely be unable to penetrate this armor, making it as ineffective as a tickle.

If this thing could be mass-produced, it would not only disrupt the aerospace industry, but also completely shatter the global military balance.

Just as she was pondering the terrifying strategic value behind this, the encrypted communicator suddenly rang urgently.

It's Dou Hanwen's dedicated line.

"President Su!" As soon as the call connected, Dou Hanwen's barely suppressed, almost hoarse voice came through, "Nuclear fusion! Our preliminary assessment is that the backpack is a miniaturized nuclear fusion reactor!"

Su Mingjin suddenly stood up, causing the chair to slide backward with a screeching sound.

"What did you say? Say it again!"

"A controlled nuclear fusion device! President Su! Although the outer shell is severely damaged and the energy has long since dissipated, through analysis of the residual isotopes and internal structure, we are over 90% certain that this is a fragment of the core device for nuclear fusion. Its technological value is countless times greater than that of the power armor itself!"

When Dou Hanwen spoke, his voice was somewhat incoherent due to excitement.

Su Mingjin took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, but her brain was racing.

She astutely grasped the crux of the problem, her voice as cold as ice.

"Professor Dou, so far we've only found the upper body armor and backpack? What about the helmet and lower body?"

The fervor on the other end of the phone cooled slightly, and Dou Hanwen immediately replied, "We're still digging! We're expanding the search area; even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we'll definitely gather them all!"

"Okay, thank you for your hard work. Remember, don't overlook any fragment or any clue."

"Do not worry!"

Su Mingjin hung up the call, and the office fell silent again.

She stared intently at the tattered, massive power armor on the screen.

The complete set... If I could collect a whole set, and combine it with this nuclear fusion backpack...

Suddenly, she thought of something, and the tense lines on her face softened. She couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Without further hesitation, she quickly packaged and encrypted all the data, found someone to send it to the communications soldier from both worlds, and reported the new discovery to Li Weiguo immediately.

This matter is too important; the highest levels must know about it immediately.

Su Mingjin ended the call, glanced again at the information provided by Dou Hanwen, and then looked at the section on the soldiers responsible for cooperating with the archaeological professor's team.

"The former guano squad soldiers? I didn't expect them to accumulate more and more merits!" Su Mingjin laughed, then tidied up the documents and personally went to find the communications soldier from both worlds to send the message to Li Weiguo.

Shortly after she left, Gong Pengfei from the interrogation team came over with some new information and a happy expression.

Upon hearing that Su Mingjin was not there, Gong Pengfei inquired about the situation and immediately followed her.

(End of this chapter)