Ning Yu reached out to take it. Compared to when it was first given to him, it had undergone some changes - it felt more transparent, and its color had become lighter.
She wondered how many attribute points the serum from a mid-level mutant zombie would add.
"How's the analysis of those metadata information you mentioned going?"
Ning Yu still remembered the audio content parsed from the low-level serum last time, which contained a tremendous amount of information.
"I first researched the purification method, which was relatively simple."
"In the serum you gave me this time, there are different metadata sequences, but its encryption method has also changed."
"Moreover, it switched to an even more complex encryption method, mixed within the normal sequences. If I hadn't already decoded the encryption salt used in the low-level serum, I probably wouldn't have made any progress for a long time."
Lin Hao naturally hadn't forgotten about this matter. He mentioned some terms like "salt," "N-time encryption," and "rainbow table" that Ning Yu didn't understand.
But the general meaning was that it would still take some time, though the information hidden in the low-level serum had helped him.
Ning Yu felt that these clues hidden from low-level to mid-level serums seemed deliberately planted, waiting for someone to discover them.
"That's basically it. It might take a while longer, but my intuition tells me there's an even bigger secret hidden inside."
Ning Yu nodded, knowing that being impatient wouldn't help. However, another question occurred to her.
If she hadn't saved Lin Hao back then, there wouldn't have been so much progress today, and she wouldn't have been able to obtain more virus-related secrets so quickly.
But everything seemed a bit too coincidental, as if an invisible hand was guiding her down this path.
Looking at Lin Hao's serious expression, he didn't seem to have considered all this. Only Ning Yu, who had experienced everything, would harbor such doubts.
Her knife, the system in her body, all the experiences along the way - it felt like being led by fate.
Ning Yu shook her head, perhaps it was just her imagination.
"That's about it," Lin Hao concluded.
After exchanging information, Ning Yu took the serum, and they both left the empty apartment the same way they came.
At least there was new progress this time. If there was another victim, Ning Yu would know earlier and could even take action in advance.
......
That night, it was particularly quiet, with a light drizzle falling outside the window.
Ning Yu was idly playing the piano, not jazz this time, but a rather quiet and desolate classical piece.
It was Bach's D minor concerto BWV974-II.
Ning Yu thought this piece was particularly suitable for playing on a rainy night.
In her previous life, she had a favorite pianist who performed this piece. Only that person could bring out that unique sense of loneliness and desolation.
The only drawback was that this famous pianist liked to hum softly while playing, leading someone to comment:
"At Gould's concerts, you might even hear him play the piano."
And now, Ning Yu couldn't help but hum along too, without even realizing it.
Shen Yiyue was listening nearby with Shen Qianqian, though the latter wasn't paying much attention and was instead reading a shoujo manga.
As a child, Shen Qianqian found it difficult to appreciate such a quiet and profound piece. She soon became drowsy and couldn't help but yawn.
Then she quickly covered her mouth, feeling it might be impolite.
She secretly glanced at her sister, finding her completely absorbed in listening, not noticing her behavior at all.
She shook her head slightly, thinking her sister was truly hopeless, already smitten with Ning Yu from the village entrance.
"Sister, I'm getting sleepy, I'll go to bed first."
She decided not to be a third wheel and leave the space to these two.
Shen Yiyue looked at her sister, turning her head for barely a second, gave a slight nod, and turned back to listening.
Shen Qianqian felt her sister had become so perfunctory that she wasn't even trying to hide it anymore, giving her a feeling of being superfluous.
Really now, a married sister is like spilled water!
She returned to her room with a pout, her earlier drowsiness dispelled by irritation.
"Did you enjoy it?"
Ning Yu turned to look at Shen Yiyue, knowing Shen Qianqian had gone back to her room.
"It was beautiful! Everything Little Yu plays is beautiful~"
She came forward and suddenly sat down beside Ning Yu.
The small piano bench originally had some space, but it became quite snug with two people.
Ning Yu shifted to the left, not understanding what she was trying to do, but still made room for her.
"Could you teach me?"
Shen Yiyue turned her pretty face sideways, looking at Ning Yu with expectant eyes.
Her face still retained a slight flush from her recent bath, and her bright eyes sparkled with starlight.
It was impossible to refuse such a look, though Ning Yu hadn't planned to refuse anyway.
She smiled and said:
"Sure, shall we start with 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' today?"
"Mm!"
Shen Yiyue nodded, actually content with learning anything.
She took Shen Yiyue's left hand and placed it in the bass section.
"Your left hand plays the accompaniment..."
"And your right hand plays the melody..."
Her other hand was also taken by Ning Yu, with the thumb placed on middle C.
They sat close together, one patiently teaching while the other learning with varying degrees of attention, their hands constantly touching and crossing, appearing intimately close.
Although Shen Yiyue's fingers were somewhat clumsy, she could still easily learn such a simple tune. However, when combining left and right hands, she would stumble.
But Ning Yu remained very patient, having her repeatedly slow down until she could play both hands together, then gradually increasing the speed.
Shen Yiyue hadn't really intended to learn piano, but at this moment, she was moved by Ning Yu's serious attitude:
After all, who could resist a silver-haired cutie earnestly teaching you something?
Only after Shen Yiyue could smoothly play all six phrases did Ning Yu stop and say:
"Let's end here for today. If you want to learn, you'll need to practice regularly."
She seemed genuinely interested in teaching Shen Yiyue.
"Oh, right!"
Ning Yu glanced at Shen Qianqian's tightly closed door, then took out the two vials of serum that Lin Hao had given her today.
"Time for your medicine, Da Lang."
She made a reference that Shen Yiyue didn't understand.
Shen Yiyue, still immersed in the happiness of being taught by Ning Yu, hadn't expected her to suddenly pull out two vials of serum, and her expression immediately froze.
"As usual, I'll drink first, and if there's no problem, you can drink after."
Ning Yu told her, already opening the cap of one vial and gulping it down.
Just like before, it was tasteless.
Ning Yu was fully prepared, expecting possible fainting, fever, or additional system prompts.
However.....