Chapter 43
Ji Chuyao wasn’t an expert on the evolution process of those undergoing biological transformation.
But because of Si Chen, he’d done a lot of research.
Because of the Eternal Life Abyss’ ferocious nature, there weren’t many Evolutionaries implanted with the Eternal Life Abyss. Most of those who did had done so during the early days.
At that time, the High-Dimensional Invasions had just begun. Everyone was just desperate to survive. No one spared a thought about whether it was dangerous or not.
Under normal circumstances, once the Sixth Step is reached, the mature Eternal Life Abyss will part from the host’s body.
For them, the host is just an incubation container.
This kind of ‘parting’ isn’t like a hermit crab changing a shell.
Rather, it is like an adult caterpillar. After complete its metamorphosis, it breaks out of its cocoon that it has stripped of all nutrients. The host often has only one end, death.
The most famous Eternal Life Abyss host was White King.
In order to solve this problem, White King had implanted other High-Dimensional Creature(s) in his body to suppress the Eternal Life Abyss.
The exact species he’d used had not yet been officially determined. This is because, in recent years, White King hasn’t made much moves.
Within the alliance, the new generation of Evolutionaries hasn’t even heard of the name ‘White King’.
It was as if he had been erased from history, gaining no merit and committing no fault.
According to the data, as the Evolutionary approaches the Sixth Step, the Eternal Life Abyss will develop self-awareness. It will gradually separate from the host body. At this point, more aberrant features will appear on the host.
Ji Chuyao didn’t know what exactly was happening in the room, but fortunately, according to the scan, Si Chen’s vital signs were stable.
Perhaps because of his good upbringing or simply because of his aloof and indifferent nature, Ji Chuyao didn’t have too much interest in interfering with how other people lived their lives.
Ji Chuyao decided to wait for Si Chen to wake up before coming back.
But before he left, he decided to send a message… After all, since he’d been standing at the door for so long, if Si Chen watched the surveillance, he might think him some kind of pervert.
He glanced at their previous chat records. After thinking about it again and again, he typed: I called but you didn’t pick up. I knocked on your door but no one answered. If you’ve run into some sort of trouble, feel free to contact me.
If it weren’t for “Turing” suddenly descending, this would have been an unremarkable failed meeting.
Ji Chuyao had already turned around and was walking towards the elevators when his whole body suddenly froze.
After a while, he turned his head slowly, looking back at the door of Si Chen’s apartment.
Ji Chuyao’s eyes looked extremely puzzled. He noticed a very unusual presence. Although this presence was very faint, it was one that shouldn’t at all be in this lower realm.
…
…
In the maze, after a short exchange between Si Chen and White Dress, they fell into silence as they put the puzzle together.
The areas they were piecing together weren’t consistent. Si Chen had a dazed feeling he had memorized the patterns on the puzzle when he came last time. It was a pity though that he has to start all over again every time he comes back.
There was a faint smile on the corner of White Dress’ lips. “Despite so many years, you’re the first person to enter the maze.”
“Have there been others?”
White Dress picked up a piece of the jigsaw puzzle and for a while, simply rubbed it between his fingers. “They want to come but they’ve all failed.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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It was made even scarier since it was still nighttime and the entire room was pitch black. Two blue-green circles of light were shining out from a dark and hazy outline.
Si Chen, guided almost purely by instinct, took out the gun from under his pillow and aimed at the figure. Before he could even think, he had already pressed the trigger.
The bullet fired but was blocked by a translucent blue light curtain.
Ji Chuyao turned on the lamp beside the bed and said, “I’m so sorry for scaring you.”
Si Chen had just completed an evolution and his body was still somewhat sore, especially on his back. It felt like a cut had made with a dirty scalpel. The wound was swollen and stinging.
He tried his best to calm his tone. “Mr. Ji, you are trespassing and in violation of the law. Please go out.”
Ji Chuyao: “…I, this, I can explain.”
… …
… …
Truth be told, Ji Chuyao too felt muddled about the entire matter. He even felt that like he’d been possessed by a ghost.
Ji Chuyao had already been planning to leave. But then, he clearly felt a thought suddenly entering his mind. And that thought had been to go and see Si Chen.
“I already took the trouble to come here. Of course I have to take a look.”
Ji Chuyao vaguely remembered thinking so.
But this was illogical.
However, this wasn’t the first time he’d gotten such a feeling.
Ji Chuyao had also had this illogical feeling when he’d encountered the Insect Queen in the Space Fold before.
He knocked on the lock and the door lock system automatically unlocked for him.
Ji Chuyao pushed the door open and made his way to Si Chen’s bedside.
He even sensed some hostility; it was coming from the Eternal Life Abyss.
By the time Ji Chuyao came back to his senses, Si Chen had already woken up.
Ji Chuyao also woke up.
… …
… …
At this moment, Ji Chuyao could practically see the big characters popping up above Si Chen’s head: Favorability -100.
Si Chen was like that difficult NPC in dating sims. No matter how you try to up your favorability, it will only slowly go +1 +1. But accidentally hit a mine and it drops by a big fat -100.
You don’t even know if he’s on the romance-able list or not.
Si Chen put on a robe. “Let’s hear it then.”
Ji Chuyao has never lied in his life so it was inevitable that he’d be a little nervous. Fortunately, he thought fast on his feet. “I just happened to be in Jiangchuan to deal with some company matters. I passed by your building and remembered that you said you were back so I came to see you. I knocked on the door but no one answered. I was about to leave but I detected the presence of the Eternal Life Abyss.”
The more he spoke, the redder his face became and they slower his words came out.
“I was worried that something might happen to you so I came in and took a look. Turned out there was nothing.”
Si Chen frowned slightly. “Why are you blushing?”
Ji Chuyao looked down at the tip of his shoes. “…Why don’t you wear clothes when you sleep?”
He was sleeping in his own home. Him wearing pants that reach his knees was already being disrespectful to his bed.
Si Chen pointed to the door, feeling a minor headache coming on. “Go out first.”
Ji Chuyao walked out stiffly, hands swaying in tandem with his feet.
Si Chen rubbed his aching temple. He asked, “Did you come out?”
The Eternal Life Abyss replied, feeling guilty, “…squeak.”
So that was it.
Si Chen has had contact before with other children of powerful and wealthy families. Like his Ji-surnamed roommate in college.
They had been assigned to four person dorm rooms.
The family status of his Ji-surnamed roommate definitely wasn’t as high as Ji Chuyao but he still turned his nose up at everyone. It was like he wanted to tattoo the words ‘I am a noble’ all across his face.
In all fairness, Ji Chuyao was a good person, in the traditional sense.
He was kind-hearted, from a well-off family. He gave generously and got along with other people, making sure not to make them feel uncomfortable. What’s more, he was a very strong and capable Evolutionary, talented and hardworking.
From a resource exchange standpoint, he was indeed a good candidate for a relationship partner.
However, as for the matter of love, please don’t even mention the word. Just hearing it was enough to make him want to vomit.
Moreover, Ji Chuyao didn’t understand him at all and he didn’t understand the other party either.
Si Chen didn’t like being treated well for no reason.
It was like he was back to the days when he’d just been adopted. He was anxious every day, trying to be lovable and obedient, afraid that his parents would suddenly take back this kind of love.
At the time, the love his adoptive parents had been food, a bedroom, toys, books and protection. And so, he desperately wanted to hold on to it.
Ji Chuyao was offering something similar.
Si Chen could actually understand the curiosity of some of the upper-class people.
They appreciate the tragic fate of others the same way they appreciate art. There is pity and there is also spiritual enjoyment at not having to experience it themselves.
Si Chen changed his clothes and opened the door.
Ji Chuyao was sitting in front of the coffee table waiting for him, hands clasped together.
He wasn’t assuming this pose as a negotiation. Ji Chuyao was doing it to relieve emotional tension.
Si Chen took two glasses of drinking water from the refrigerator and put one on each side.
He said tactfully, “It would be best if I am simply reading too much into things. But, truthfully, men like you aren’t my type, Mr. Ji.”
Ji Chuyao was caught off guard by this straight ball and almost choked on his water.
He put down the water glass and asked, “Then what is your type?”
Si Chen replied blankly, “I like people who are shorter than me.”
Ji Chuyao: “…”
Si Chen: Human, 180cm.
Ji Chuyao: Mechanically Transformed, 197cm.
Ji Chuyao was silent for a moment. “Let’s not talk about this. Which Step are you at now?”
The energy fluctuation Si Chen was giving off was a bit strange. It was lower than that of people of the same Step and the detected data was not very accurate.
Si Chen gave it a feel. Unsurprisingly, he found that the third hole had been filled by a broad-headed snake.
This broad-headed snake was very fat and he had yet to completely digest it. And so, it was much more spacious than the previous two.
The new skill brought by Feathered Serpent God was 【Fire Control】.
But Si Chen hasn’t yet tried it.
Si Chen replied, “I’m near the Fourth Step.”
Ji Chuyao’s appeared a little surprised. “That’s pretty fast.”
This was thanks for the Eternal Life Abyss’ extraordinary capacity to eat. Several times, Si Chen had worried that it would stuff itself to death.
Turned out, it was a bottomless pit.
Ji Chuyao’s brows furrowed and then they smoothened. “Once you reach the Fifth Step, you’d best consider separating from the Eternal Life Abyss or implanting another High-Dimensional Creature to suppress it. According to the usual practice, from the mid to late stage of the Sixth Step, the Eternal Life Abyss will start to devour its host.”
Ji Chuyao felt that no matter what, by the time Si Chen reaches the Fifth Step, Si Chen would have already passed the postgraduate entrance examination. By that time, his tutor should be the one worrying about this problem.
The first Four Steps are relatively easy to climb.
The hard part is going beyond that.
He didn’t know if he’d just heard wrong, but as soon as Ji Chuyao said these words, the Eternal Life Abyss made some small sounds, creaks and chirps.
Si Chen was its host after all and he understood that the Eternal Life Abyss was cursing.
Si Chen decided to change the topic.
He remembered his encounter in the Space Fold and asked, “Do you know the House of the Mind?”
After leaving the Space Fold, Si Chen searched both the official website of the Evolutionary Association and the company’s intranet but came up with nothing.
Ji Chuyao searched in his database.
He asked, “Why are you suddenly asking this?”
Si Chen briefly recounted what he’d experienced in the Space Fold, omitting the part about the state orphanage and about White Dress.
Ji Chuyao’s face darkened.
“They are a terrorist organization from a High-Dimensional Universe. Their members have no form, most existing as spirits… Commonly known as ghosts. Though ‘ghost’ cannot quite fully encompass what they are.”
“They do not need to have physical bodies to come to Low-Dimensional worlds. They’ve destroyed several Low-Dimensional universes. We have successfully prevented their past attempts at infiltration. It seems that there are still some fish that slipped through the net.”
With that said, Ji Chuyao transferred to him the information.
Si Chen: “What will happen if this organization succeed with their infiltration?”
Ji Chuyao: “It would probably be tantamount to a High-Dimensional Invasion of the entire world.”
Si Chen imagined bumping into ghosts every day and suddenly felt that his current life wasn’t so bad.
When you think that your life can’t be worse, you found new scientific article about universe’s collapse…
Thank you for your translation 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
Ghosts everywhere every day and night….nope. 🫥
Thanks for the update 🤣❤️🤣❤️😳
damn almost 20cm difference 👌
I wonder if White Dress has some connection to the House of Mind. And why does Turing want to enter the maze…?
So mysterious~
Thank you for the chapter!
Thanks for the chapter!!
I can’t wait until they finally start getting interested in each other lol. Si Chen is gonna be so embarrassed.
+1, meanwhile, I will be providing popcorn and snacks for the show LOL it’s going to be hilarious