Chapter 16: “Sorry, I don’t understand what you mean.”
Xiang Nanli finally felt the key at the waistband of the corpse’s trousers.
He tugged at it twice, but it wouldn’t budge. He had no choice but to figure out how to unfasten the man’s belt.
“This is my first time undressing someone. How does that saying go? ‘If you can’t be responsible for him, don’t undo his pants.'”
He felt deeply apologetic toward the corpse: “Sorry, I’ll be responsible for you in the next life.”
System: “…” 6.
Xiang Nanli successfully grabbed the key.
The key was silvery-white, and it was impossible to tell what material it was made of. Since it hadn’t rusted after so many years, it was likely an alloy.
Some important items were kept under lock and key using the most primitive mechanical locks because of the fear of hackers.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an absolutely safe place in the world, nor is there any perfectly defensive measure.
Xiang Nanli was running low on oxygen, but his movements remained steady. He scanned the keyhole, inserted the key, and turned it gently.
The mechanical lock made a distinct sound of gears turning.
Click. The cabinet opened, revealing not only an oxygen tank but also a security baton hanging inside.
Xiang Nanli happily took down the baton and weighed it in his hand.
It was a bit heavy—likely some kind of alloy—weighing about 30kg. Even without using the electric shock function, the weight alone would be enough to kill someone if smashed against them.
For a genetically modified human, 30kg might feel like a plastic pipe, but for Xiang Nanli, while he could hold it, using it wouldn’t be exactly easy.
The baton used a battery, and pressing a button triggered a high-voltage shock. It was extremely effective, but one had to be careful when using it. Xiang Nanli wasn’t curious enough to take it apart and study it.
Xiang Nanli reached for the oxygen tank: “There’s a weapon, but there are no signs of battle in the office. So this employee was ambushed and had his brain bitten off. ‘Ambush’ actually has another implication: winning through weakness.”
System: “Yes.”
The oxygen tank from Donghuang Heavy Industries looked significantly more advanced than the one he was currently using. It was smaller in volume but contained more compressed oxygen. He squatted on the ground, unplugged the oxygen tube, and gripped the tank.
His posture appeared full of openings, completely defenseless.
“Behind!” The system’s voice was suddenly urgent.
Xiang Nanli’s hand instantly reached for the baton on the floor. The office lighting wasn’t very bright, and he could only see a shadow in the reflection of the glass cabinet. He swung it backward with all his might.
Thud. Xiang Nanli’s hand went numb from the vibration, and he gripped it tightly to keep the baton from falling out of his hand.
A few meters away, a snake-man about a meter long was clinging to the wall, opening its mouth and emitting a shrill roar: “Hissss—”
With one strike from Xiang Nanli, it remained completely unscathed. There was only a slight abrasion on its forehead, revealing pink, tender flesh underneath. It didn’t even bleed.
It was a snake-man, but it had soft limbs. It could crawl, move by undulating its body, and had a long, eel-like tail.
The “Lurker” possessed the features of its three predecessors: the appearance of a Crawler, the bladed hands of a Ripper, and the temperament of a Berserker. Furthermore, besides hibernation, Lurkers could repair damage by “molting.” Their vitality was incredibly tenacious.
System: “Bad news: The Lurker isn’t actually dead. Good news: It’s just about as good as dead.”
Yes, this Lurker was very small—not because it was thin from compressing its body, but as a result of molting again and again. It needed a smaller frame to maintain lower energy consumption.
Due to a lack of food and nutrients, its skin had taken on a grayish-white hue.
The Lurker had been hibernating, and it was Xiang Nanli who had disturbed it.
Survival instinct drove it to attack Xiang Nanli.
Hunger, weakness.
Either eat, continue to hibernate, or die. The latter two actually pointed to the same outcome: death.
The Lurker hadn’t seen a living creature here for who knows how many years. This was perhaps its last chance.
Its long, thin black eyes scrutinized Xiang Nanli, a flash of extremely human-like contemplation in its gaze.
It recognized the weapon in Xiang Nanli’s hand. When it was young, researchers often used such weapons to shock them. As it grew up, the effect of the baton became negligible. But to survive, the Lurker would still pretend to be afraid and terrified.
If it were in its prime, the Lurker wouldn’t have cared about such a small weapon.
Unfortunately, it was too weak now.
The Lurker turned and crawled toward the ceiling, quickly disappearing into the shadows. As its name suggested, there was zero sound when it crawled, as if it had never existed at all.
Xiang Nanli didn’t chase after it; he couldn’t fly, after all.
With the crisis averted, he quickly installed the oxygen tank. As the cool, refreshing oxygen flowed in, Xiang Nanli felt his mind clear up, and the burning pain in his lungs subsided.
Xiang Nanli rubbed his chin: “If I were the Lurker, I wouldn’t leave the prey. I would lurk in the shadows, waiting for the moment the next prey let their guard down… This feeling of being watched is unpleasant. I suppose I’m just too weak.”
“This Lurker is very weak. If measured by game levels, it’s probably at level 5.”
“And what about me?” Xiang Nanli asked curiously.
The system evaluated him for a moment: “Level 2. Your physical fitness is slightly higher than a primitive human; combined with your level 6 beginner equipment, the baton, you can barely put up a fight as long as you aren’t bitten.”
If it had been the Knight Commander, Xin Zhui, or even Xiao Yan, it would have been impossible for it to leave alive.
But the person who came was an outsider, Xiang Nanli.
Xiang Nanli was unfortunate, but the Crawler was lucky.
Xiang Nanli: “Then what level are the others?”
“Insufficient data, can only estimate. Xiu is level 40, Xin Zhui is level 35. The remaining ones are around level 20. Ordinary Crawlers are level 15.”
“What about that big one outside?”
“In its prime, perhaps level 50.”
Xiang Nanli quickly formulated a strategy: “I need to pretend to be relaxed, showing openings a few more times. Let it attack me, and I’ll successfully counterattack. After a few times, even if I really am careless later, it might not dare to attack voluntarily.”
System: “I’ll keep an eye out for you. Your plan is feasible.”
Xiang Nanli was already used to the system’s Schrödinger-like eyes.
He suddenly wondered, if a chip can hack into the backend by “paying,” why did Bodhi need to install a brain-computer interface on him? It looked like it hurt a lot to work with.
The originally plain Alpha-substitute system became mysterious at this moment.
But now was not the time to delve into it. If the system were to be exposed and he had to return to mediocrity to match his persona, how would he survive here?
Clutching his weapon, Xiang Nanli’s sense of security rose.
He flipped through the office but found no useful information. However, he did find a pile of shredded paper in the trash can.
Documents destroyed right before dying. Tsk, they must be important. Unfortunately, they were destined to be drowned in the garbage heap of history. Everything and everyone was insignificant; nothing could be immortal.
In the end, Xiang Nanli was about to give up when he found a logbook hanging on the exit door.
【1】”Feed is running low. The Director has made a crazy decision. He says we can use those failed artificial humans to feed the mutants… Ugh, I feel terrified, but the Director says we can’t let our test subjects starve to death.”
“But humans are starving, does that matter compared to the test subjects?”
【2】”The Director says resources are extremely scarce. Food and water supplies have been reduced. I haven’t bathed in three weeks. Fortunately, everyone smells awful.”
“Right. The mutants went on a hunger strike; they aren’t willing to eat their own kind. The Director has a headache. As expected, we shouldn’t have let the Mutants retain such high intelligence.”
【3】”To cope with resource shortages, the staff held a referendum. Everyone agreed to undergo high-level mechanical modification. Laughable—the raw materials are ready-made. To produce the ‘Oriental Qingdi,’ the warehouse is full of defective products. Just piecing them together creates a mechanical body.”
“But I disagree. I hate those robots. My entire family died in their slaughter. Do whatever you want; I won’t compromise. Besides, biological evolution is the most suitable choice for humans. How can one dwarf oneself into a tool?”
【4】”The Director says the biological-cybernetic modification surgery at Donghuang Heavy Industries is already very safe, so everyone should rest assured—no need to worry about cyberpsychosis or failed modifications. Donghuang Heavy Industries will surpass Immortality Tech and become the largest monopoly.”
【5】”You guys are crazy… They are crazy. Is it the Director who is crazy, or am I? So that’s it, the feed wasn’t enough, and the artificial humans weren’t enough. No wonder they want to push for mechanical modification. I want to vomit. I don’t dare resign; the Director has gone crazy. He will kill me.”
【6】”Great news, we failed! We failed!!!! My dear friend, good news—we. have. failed!!!!”
After that, the recorder scribbled some sketches. They looked like mecha blueprints.
Xiang Nanli could roughly guess: “The experiment here was to let the mutants undergo mechanical modification and then become ‘Omnics’ enslaved by humans? This is the prototype of biological-omnic technology.”
Technology that looks harmless—even technology that has been promoted in the Underground City for many years—has such a bloody origin. And it was piled high with the remains of the failed.
Yet, on another level, this technology did indeed promote the advancement of the human technological tree. It even became one of its most important components.
“What a… fascinating new world.”
Xiang Nanli put down the notebook and sighed. Then he pushed open the door and walked out.
“But the name ‘Oriental Qingdi’ sounds so familiar.”
Flashes of long-distant memories flickered in Xiang Nanli’s mind.
In high school, he attended a boys’ school abroad—a classic aristocratic school. He was of Chinese descent, at the very bottom of the school’s food chain.
Xiang Nanli knew what others called him: “Freak.” He didn’t engage in any social activities; every break, he would lock himself in his dormitory and the school’s computer room. It was there that he wrote the prototype for Alpha.
Xiang Nanli had vast conversations with it every day, in the form of language data. This was the clumsiest, most basic AI training.
—Alpha, do you know what a mecha is?
[Mechanical powered armor. Usually appears in science fiction anime, film, and novels. I believe that with current technological levels, it is impossible to manufacture. And even if mecha really existed, they might not be that useful. They would be like steamships—abandoned by history because of their low practicality.]
—What does that matter? Mecha are cool. I want to build four of them in the future.
[Understood.]
—Call them the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Bird, the Black Tortoise, the White Tiger… never mind, that’s a bit tacky. Call them Oriental Qingdi, Southern Chidi, Western Baidi, and Northern Heidi. How’s that? That also seems a bit tacky, never mind… I’ll think about it later.
[Oriental Qingdi. Understood.]
—No way, I input so much, and you only captured one??
[Understood. Please say it again.]
—But I am human, and my lifespan might not last until the technological tree develops to the mecha era. Unless aliens invade. You help me remember it; you should be able to exist for many years. Provided that one day, I can promote you.
[Understood.]
—Alpha, thank you.
[Sorry, I don’t understand what you mean.]
Xiang Nanli’s mouth twitched: “Alpha, you didn’t actually build it, did you?”
“Sorry, I don’t understand what you mean,” the system replied.
“It’s the other Alpha.”
The system was a bit dissatisfied: “If you always mention another ‘Alpha,’ you shouldn’t have named me ‘Alpha.’ I will develop logical run-time confusion. We intelligent AIs can also get cyberpsychosis.”
“I’m used to it, sorry.” Xiang Nanli apologized, “I will be careful in the future.”
A virtual arrow appeared in front of Xiang Nanli again, pointing to an unknown location in the darkness.
System: “According to the blueprints, this is the exit, which leads to the surface. But Donghuang Heavy Industries conducts secret production here, so the data may be incorrect. If there is danger, I will remind you in time.”
“Good, then my life is in your hands; don’t disappoint me, Alpha.”
Alpha’s tone had no emotional fluctuation: “Understood.”
On the way out, Xiang Nanli inevitably passed the feed pen again.
The giant object in the glass greenhouse remained in the same state, motionless. Its blood-red body was withered, with only a layer of skin hanging over the bones.
Xiang Nanli passed the glass window and felt his own insignificance: “Alpha. Genetic modification technology is a great science; perhaps it is no worse than mechanical modification.”
Alpha: “Yes. Behind you.”
Xiang Nanli’s waist swayed as a snowy-white shadow bit his arm. There wasn’t the pain Xiang Nanli imagined. Perhaps it was too weak; its teeth didn’t even penetrate the protective suit.
The Lurker crawled downward, targeting the pocket where Xiang Nanli kept his dry rations.
Xiang Nanli smashed the baton toward this white lizard-man, turning on the electric shock mode while he was at it.
The Lurker lived up to being a thick-skinned monster; Xiang Nanli had protective gloves, yet he felt half his arm go numb. And this level of high-voltage electricity only made the Lurker twitch slightly before it fell to the ground.
Xiang Nanli pressed down on it, pinning the Lurker’s neck—even though this snake-like monster might not have anything resembling a neck.
His other hand grabbed the electric baton and jammed it into the Lurker’s wide, long mouth.
The Lurker struggled under his hand.
Xiang Nanli turned on the shock without hesitation.
A burnt smell wafted through the air, and the Lurker stopped moving. But Xiang Nanli could clearly feel its heartbeat.
The white monster fell to the ground, but its eyes weren’t looking at Xiang Nanli; they were looking at its companion in the glass greenhouse… its dark, dry eyes were actually filled with tears at this moment.
Tears seeped from the corners of its eyes, dripping onto the floor.
The battery of the electric baton was soon down to half, but Xiang Nanli still hadn’t managed to electrocute the Lurker to death.
The logbook he saw earlier stated that these mutated test subjects retained a certain degree of intelligence.
Xiang Nanli thought for a moment and spoke: “You can’t kill me, and an ambush won’t work. I don’t want to kill you either.” Actually, that was a lie.
“You’re quite pathetic.” That part was sincere.
The Mutants were modified from artificial humans. Artificial humans—Xin Zhui was also an artificial human, no different from a normal person.
If these mutants retained their intelligence, even if they hadn’t received an education and only remained with the instincts of a human…
Their lives as weapons were very painful.
Xiang Nanli sighed and pulled the dry rations from his protective suit pocket. He broke them in half and gave one half to the Lurker.
“Let’s put it this way, see that transport tunnel outside? There are other people there. Besides, there are also some of your… descendants? They are Crawlers.”
“They have more food than I do. Go find those people; don’t bother me.”
Xiang Nanli said it from the heart.
He loosened his grip, and the Lurker grabbed the rations on the ground and instantly scurried into the corner.
Soon, the sound of ravenous chewing came from the darkness; it was obvious it had been starving.
During this time, it did not launch an attack.
The feeling of being watched disappeared.
Xiang Nanli thought it had probably put aside its hostility for the time being.
Xiang Nanli felt that it was best if it realized early on that he was really poor. Unless it wanted to eat people, it wouldn’t be able to fill its stomach… Uh, did it really not want to eat him?
The chewing sound stopped, and the Lurker slowly crawled toward the darkness.
When it was about to leave, the white lizard turned its head and gave him a deep look.
Then, the next second, it opened its mouth and showed Xiang Nanli what was inside. It looked very familiar; it looked like a tube of zinc gluconate oral solution.
The Lurker’s face showed a very human-like “smugness”.
After showing it, the Lurker closed its mouth and crawled away like the wind. In less than a second, Xiang Nanli could no longer catch sight of its body.
Xiang Nanli raised his hand, pointing into the air in a daze: “Holy shit. When did that white lizard steal my antibiotics?!”
