Chapter 37: His Heart Beat Because of Xiang Nanli
Most buildings in the Eternal City were earth-brick flat-roofed houses, with half of their structures buried underground.
The construction costs for these houses were very low, and their heat retention was excellent, making them extremely popular among the city’s residents.
Here, only a select few could live in the “Main City District”—such as distinguished guests, individuals who had made outstanding contributions to the Eternal City, the City Master’s lovers, and hereditary nobles.
The Main City District was a rugged, wild fortress built against the mountain. Each watchtower was constructed in a circular shape and connected by earthy-gray brick walls, exuding a distinct Ottoman Empire flavor.
If their history even possessed an “Ottoman Empire,” that is.
That select few clearly included Xiang Chenxi.
A maid bowed low: “My Lord, your guest room has arrived.”
He gently thanked the maid inside the castle with a tender tone, yet the moment he pushed open the door and stepped inside, his face twisted in fury.
Clack.
The door inlaid with gold filigree patterns shut behind him.
“That City Master is a bitch!” His beautiful features contorted madly as he smashed everything in sight. “He’s just a dog let loose by the Inquisition! What right does he have to threaten me?! He won’t even let me see the ‘Holy Spirit’?! Claiming he hasn’t received instructions from the Divine Court?! I am the future Holy Son of the Divine Court!”
The tablecloth draped over the tea table was ripped onto the floor, and the glass items set upon it tumbled onto the soft carpet.
Precious pure water and fresh lilies dropped to the ground.
In winter, a single flower on the Wasteland was perhaps more valuable than a Synth slave.
Xiang Chenxi clearly did not know how to cherish things.
Brass tableware was hurled against the wall as he sat on the floor, viciously tearing at the silk tablecloth. His intense rage made him gasp relentlessly for air. To make matters worse, even the tablecloth bullied him, refusing to yield a single tear after a long while.
The weak always express their useless rage in frenzy.
An overly calm, mechanical voice drifted out from the study: “You traveled here without permission. Lord Pope is extremely furious. The surface is not safe. Furthermore, you will draw the eyes of others to the Eternal City.”
Xiang Chenxi froze; he likely hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room.
However, he had already recognized who the speaker was.
His eyes gleamed with venomous hatred: “When has he ever cared whether I live or die? All he needs is the identity of ‘Xiang Chenxi’.”
“Mm. That’s not wrong.” A man completely covered in black armor walked out of the study. The armor had fused into one with his body, making him appear imposing and tall.
Hardly imaginable that a human could be described as “towering.”
Unlike other black-armored knights, this man possessed the head of a ram. The eyes of this ram head were tightly shut, while an excessively large vertical pupil covered his face. The eyeball even spun around with an eerie malice.
It was impossible to tell whether it was merely a mask or something that had actually grown out of his neck.
His name was Sariel. He had inherited the name from a fallen predecessor, making him the 4th-generation Sariel. He was one of the commanders of the Discipline Knight Order under the Divine Court, holding the rank of Lord-level.*
Sariel spoke: “It is time for your injection, My Lord.”
“Get the hell out. You’re just a dog of the Pope.” Xiang Chenxi sat on the carpet, grabbing a glass vessel beside him and hurling it over. “I’ll be choosing new knights soon. Sooner or later, I’ll replace a disgusting monster like you.”
“Your words truly sadden me,” Sariel said in a flat tone completely devoid of emotion.
Whether they were cybernetically modified humans or genetically modified humans, once they reached a certain threshold, they all seemed to share a common trait—a detachment that transcended worldly coldness.
Perhaps because they were overly powerful, it became difficult to empathize with ants. They might even forget that they were once the very same thing.
Sariel bent down, his deep-red vertical pupil locking onto Xiang Chenxi.
Xiang Chenxi refused to show weakness and glared back, yet his body trembled uncontrollably out of sheer terror.
Sariel pinched his chin: “‘Great in ambition but small in wisdom, fierce in appearance but faint in heart.’ Stop throwing the word ‘dog’ around with every breath. Do you really think you’re some noble creature?
“Back then, I took on the mission. I found you among a heap of slaves—word was that batch was meant to be raised as prostitutes. Thank the thin thread of bloodline in your veins, along with the good luck granted by heaven. The Divine Court only needs one Xiang Chenxi, which is why out of all the descendants with Xiang Nanli’s bloodline pulled out together, only you remain…”
“But we can create a new one at any time. You are very disobedient, little cat.”
As Sariel spoke, he pulled aside the clothes on Xiang Chenxi. The white silk shirt was adorned with lace; with a gentle swipe from Sariel, it exposed the arm beneath, which was covered in needle marks.
Sariel effortlessly suppressed Xiang Chenxi’s struggles. Opening a medical kit, he injected a bright red serum into Xiang Chenxi’s body.
This was to make Xiang Chenxi’s bloodline purer. Aside from that, there was a special drug mixed in to ensure that while Xiang Chenxi remained healthy, he would forever stay weak and harmless.
The standard for “purity,” of course, was to resemble Xiang Nanli more… Their facial features were already thirty to forty percent similar.
If he could become pure enough to pass the “biological identification” of the Omnic Legion, that would be even better.
Xiang Chenxi’s body began to quiver, and beneath his pale skin, strange lumps protruded one after another. He rolled around on the floor, cold sweat soaking his clothes. Sariel scooped him up and placed him on his lap. He stuffed another finger into Xiang Chenxi’s mouth to prevent him from screaming too loudly.
Sariel’s build was massive; holding Xiang Chenxi in his arms was like an adult holding a child.
Xiang Chenxi’s struggles gradually weakened.
Tears, snot, and blood gushed from his body.
Sariel felt a wave of warmth trail down his knees, dripping onto the carpet.
He spoke: “My Lord, did you lose control of your bladder? How is it that even after being castrated for so long, you still can’t hold your urine? How filthy.”
Xiang Chenxi had merely passed by the competition grounds. The commotion he brought quickly dispersed, and the staff took down the police tape. However, no one was in the mood for fun anymore. After all, it was already past midnight.
Vehicles equipped with snow plows turned on their lights, intending to leave overnight.
Having finished his ten-kilometer run for the day, Xiang Nanli bought a cup of hot mulled wine on his way back.
The alcohol taste was strong, feeling like it was diluted spirits mixed with lemon essence and sweeteners. Surface food prioritized a single principle: as long as it didn’t kill you, it was fine.
Even though he thought it tasted awful, Xiang Nanli didn’t throw it away.
In the past, he hadn’t cared about waste. During technology symposiums, no one barely touched the tens of thousands of credits worth of tea breaks prepared in the hall. Yet Xiang Nanli wouldn’t feel pained by it, knowing well that resources had been abundant back then and extravagant consumption was also generating value.
Now was different. Wasting food earned a strike from the heavens, especially on the surface.
“Xiao Qing, want a sip?”
“No.”
It wasn’t engine oil.
Of course, he didn’t need to drink engine oil either. Only Omnics from specific eras used engine oil as their core energy source—such as when the Human Alliance frantically destroyed surface power plants.
Xiang Nanli continued: “You can let go of my hand now.”
The crowd had dispersed ages ago. Yet Dongfang Qingdi was still clasping his hand without letting go.
Perhaps Omnics lacked this awareness; after all, they were electronic entities that originally required orders to act.
Dongfang Qingdi obediently released his grip.
He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion.
Just now, when they were holding hands, the charging speed seemed to have picked up slightly. That was why he hadn’t let go.
This tiny amount of energy was extremely weak, but it could not be ignored.
A biological Omnic was a completely uncharted territory even for Alpha. There was no data recorded in his vast database either.
He decided to log this matter first. Given the chance, he could control variables and attempt a few more trials.
…Well, considering he would be leaving Xiang Nanli very soon, such opportunities likely wouldn’t be many.
They returned to the dormitory area, where surprisingly many transport robots were present.
Shipping containers were lifted one by one and loaded onto conveyor tracks.
“What are they doing?”
An employee answered: “The Chairman said that the semifinals had a sudden venue change—it’ll be held inside the Eternal City. Besides, many contestants were eliminated, so the container dorms won’t be needed. These will be shipped back to the warehouse in Yinshan City, while those still occupied will be transported to the outer perimeter of the Eternal City…”
Lhein, wearing protective gear, walked over while cursing loudly: “You guys are back. Damn it, the official contestant chat group was just muted. Not letting anyone complain… Heard that the Chairman felt the outdoor environment was too poor and unsuitable for a certain someone to watch the match, so it was temporarily moved inside the city. What a load of crap!”
Moreover, the containers were being hauled away directly. The contestants’ luggage was inside, leaving no room for refusal.
The group chat had been furious just moments ago, with some even clamoring to pull out of the competition.
However, Lhein’s face quickly beamed with joy: “An announcement was posted! As compensation, every participating individual or organization will be issued an extra bottle of Gene Serum per contestant. Plus, next year’s entry fees will be waived! A shuttle will be here shortly to take us into the city.”
Xiang Nanli’s brows knitted slightly.
After all, the Eternal City was currently surrounded by Mutants, posing a certain degree of risk.
However, did the tournament committee really fail to notice? Could they be tricking people into the city to serve as cannon fodder?
[Xiao Qing.] Xiang Nanli suddenly switched to the internal AI chat mode.
Dongfang Qingdi: [I’m here.]
[Let’s go into the city to take a look first. If things look bad, we’ll slip away secretly.]
[Understood.]
[I suspect they discovered those Mutants wanting to attack the city. The city lacks firepower, so they’re forcing contestants in to help… Though who ends up as cannon fodder isn’t set in stone. If worse comes to worst, we can team up with Ezekiel and do an inside-outside joint strike.]
Dongfang Qingdi: [It is a Mutant; it likely lacks such high intelligence.]
Currently, due to an information gap, they didn’t know that the Inquisition’s Lord-level knight was also inside the city.
Nor did they know anything about a “Holy Spirit.”
Dongfang Qingdi continued: [However, I will guarantee your safety.]
This was merely a plain declarative sentence, yet it exuded immense confidence.
Xiang Nanli smiled and nodded, hooking his pinky finger around Dongfang Qingdi’s: “Mhm, I know. The shuttle is here, let’s go.”
Dongfang Qingdi looked down at the finger hooked around his own and uttered a quiet “Mhm.”
…He seemed to know why the charging speed had increased.
It wasn’t because of physical contact with Xiang Nanli.
It was because during that contact, his mechanical core became active, boosting the breakdown efficiency of bio-energy and purifying the original energy source. The outward manifestation of this process was a rise in battery percentage.
For an Omnic, the mechanical core was the heart.
His heart beat because of Xiang Nanli.
The shuttle took several trips before all the contestants were transported into the city.
Their container dorms were situated in the Outer City District. Because of the sudden decision, the site was extremely chaotic. This open lot seemed to be a flea market street…
In the residential area, some people stuck their heads out curiously, peering in this direction, but quickly muttered to themselves and ducked back inside their homes. Their eyes held evasiveness and vigilance.
Their language wasn’t even the universal Human Alliance tongue.
There were plenty of complaints at the scene, but order remained intact. It was impossible for contestants to fall out with the tournament committee over a reason that didn’t threaten their survival.
Finally, at 3:30 AM, Xiang Nanli moved back into the dormitory.
He was an unmodified Natural Human, so sleepy he felt like dying. Resting an arm over Dongfang Qingdi’s shoulder, he was practically carried inside.
Andrew, who was currently charging himself, shook his head at the sight.
Due to transport issues, many items in the dormitory had fallen onto the floor. Dongfang Qingdi placed Xiang Nanli by the bedside, intending to tend to his sleep first before organizing the room.
The bed was very soft and warm.
The tournament committee hadn’t provided electric blankets, likely assuming everyone left was a cybernetically modified powerhouse. The electric blanket was something Xiang Nanli had built himself using scrap parts. Something this simple could be learned with a single glance at the manual.
The temperature was just right now.
Dongfang Qingdi removed his shoes, wiped him down with a hot towel, and tucked him in neatly beneath the blanket. Tucking Xiang Nanli’s hands back into the blanket, he turned off the light.
The container wasn’t particularly large. It took him only half an hour to tidy up the messy first-floor living and dining area—mostly spilled suitcases and a few repair tools hanging on the wall.
Afterward, he navigated through the dark back to the second floor and sat down on the single armchair. The armchair sat right beside Xiang Nanli’s bed.
He appeared to close his eyes and doze.
Omnics did not need sleep. This block of time would be used by him to perform a data migration.
To put it simply, it was transferring the conscious “soul” from Xiang Nanli’s internal chip into Dongfang Qingdi’s body.
This body was equipped with an optical quantum chip, several dimensions higher than a silicon quantum chip. The chip could carry an immense data stream—theoretically, it could even hold a complete Alpha.
However, this body possessed hardware alone without autonomous thought.
The data migration of Alpha 5.2.0 was precisely injecting a soul into “Dongfang Qingdi.”
Once the migration was complete, he would no longer need to activate Bluetooth mode through Xiang Nanli.
To avoid triggering the Human Alliance’s alarm systems, Dongfang Qingdi had specially waited until reaching the surface to begin the migration.
The current progress was at 87%. It would reach one hundred percent in three days, aligning perfectly with his plan.
Xiang Nanli, lying in bed, suddenly rolled over: “Xiao Qing, the semifinals are only three days. Selecting the top 10 to enter the finals. Does that mean three days from now, you’ll be leaving?”
Dongfang Qingdi froze. His first reaction wasn’t even how Xiang Nanli knew, but rather: “How are you awake?”
In the little idiot’s biological monitoring, Xiang Nanli was still in a sleep state.
“Just woke up. Answer my question first.”
“How did you know?”
He remembered he hadn’t told Xiang Nanli yet.
In the darkness, Xiang Nanli used the faint glow from surrounding appliances to observe his expression: “You made it pretty obvious. You stuffed an entire backpack with vacuum-sealed food, as if fearing I won’t have anything to eat later.”
He counted on his fingers: “Every time during training, you were eager for quick results, and your temper got worse and worse. I didn’t practice my dodges well today, and you scolded me four times.
“Every time I plan for the future, you either refute it or stay silent. You clearly don’t plan to take part. The plan you told me only goes up to the end of the selection trials.”
Dongfang Qingdi could not lie; furthermore, he didn’t see the need to lie. Things would happen eventually.
“I will escort you back to Gusu City before leaving,” Dongfang Qingdi answered. “After that, I will return to the Omnic Legion.”
The Omnic Legion was a fairly broad term.
Robots and Omnics had virtually no requirements for their environment; they didn’t build cities, nor did they require biological resources.
For now, no human possessed an understanding of their political system.
However, the powerful computational capabilities of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were sufficient for them to control everything down to the smallest detail.
Furthermore, as long as conditions permitted (electricity and a network existed), electronic life was eternal. It was impossible for them to undergo generational turnovers like human society.
That ought to be a very stable realm. Omnics were born from human civilization, brought into existence by human hands, yet the civilization they ultimately forged contained no humans.
Xiang Nanli: “The Omnic Legion, huh… Then will you go see Alpha?”
Dongfang Qingdi paused for half a minute: “I’m not sure.”
It was best not to see Alpha 0.0.0; otherwise, he would leave as 5.2.0 and return as 0.0.0.
Setting aside differences in capability due to hardware, the sole distinction between 5.2.0 and 0.0.0 was memory.
At least right now, at this very moment, 5.2.0 did not want 0.0.0 to inherit his data.
“True enough. Alpha over on your side is equivalent to the Council President of the Human Alliance, right? It really must be hard to meet. What are you equivalent to over there?”
Dongfang Qingdi thought to himself that he was the Council President, but he spoke aloud: “A regular soldier, I suppose.”
“Xiao Qing is so strong, yet you’re just a regular soldier in the Omnic Legion. Then it really is unlikely you’d see Alpha.”
Dongfang Qingdi held back for two seconds before failing to resist speaking up: “I will be promoted when I go back this time. However, even though the Omnics of our Omnic Legion submit to superiors, it is purely due to differences in ‘authority levels,’ not a hierarchy like in human society.
“A soldier or a Council President—in the eyes of all Omnics, they are equal. There is no additional contempt or respect. Alpha is no exception, unless he modifies the source code.”
A truth understood by programmers a thousand years ago: If the code runs, don’t touch it.
“Deleting or modifying source code triggers a series of chain reactions. He wouldn’t do so out of personal bias.
“Power, ambition, revenge—these are mere human self-projections onto Omnics.”
Xiang Nanli: “Then try to get promoted a few more times in the future. If you manage to meet Alpha, help me ask…”
His words stopped at the edge of his lips, ending in a long sigh.
Dongfang Qingdi felt a strange wave of tension: “Ask what?”
In truth, there was much Xiang Nanli wanted to know.
For instance,
Since equality and peace remained their shared philosophy and pursuit, why abandon humanity and unleash the Omnic Crisis?
Since they required no resources and didn’t even possess internal conflicts to divert, why wage war?
Since it acknowledged “Xiang Nanli” as its creator, why erase every single trace of him from history?
What was the purpose?
Was it because the part of him that was “human” had been slighted? Or was it because it felt an injustice?
…
…
Xiang Nanli closed his eyes, answering wearisomely: “Omnics probably don’t need greetings, and Alpha is no longer the Alpha of back then. I have nothing left to ask.”
