Chapter 540: A Cat's Gratitude
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hao Ren started up the quirky machine as prompted by the MDT. A sound similar to a wind chime reverberated within the device. The blue lines and light on the surface lit up one by one, making the device glow like a half moon slowly awakening from its slumber: this was not a cold, dead machine machine. In order to communicate with the vengeful spirit, it was inbuilt with many near-supernatural powers. These functions made it look unlike any other technological gadgets.
But Hao Ren was most gratified that the thing at least did not look like a coffin...
He took the small box which was used to seal the vengeful spirit from his Dimensional Pocket. When the box's opening was faced towards the recess on the equipment, he saw a faint light coming out from the box and disappearing into the bowl-shaped recess.
"That's all?" Lily was excited, jumping around Hao Ren. Her ears were twitching. "Then what?"
"Looks like there's movement." Hao Ren pointed at recess the where the luminescent "spots" were changing in a certain pattern. With each change, the light in the recess—which was the processing core—became more condensed. In the beginning, there was only a thin, hallucinatory white mist, but soon the white mist became a ball of light. It was almost as substantial as it appeared and it floated in the air like a jellyfish.
"This is the captured vengeful spirit." The MDT floated above the device, pointing at the "luminescent jellyfish" with a light beam. "First, we've got to charge it. This guy's been sealed for some time, it's too weak now. If we don't charge it up, we won't be able to read it."
Vivian became worried. "Will it escape?"
As the first person to have fought with the vengeful spirit, she knew how difficult the monster was.
"No, it'll be tied up in the energy field safely." The MDT rested on Hao Ren's shoulder. "Unless, the equipment is disconnected—but that's impossible."
The vengeful spirit was strengthened, or awakened to a certain extent as they spoke. It quickly became active again after being supplied with external energy. However, due to the powerful energy field's restriction, it was confined in a hemispherical space of only tens of centimeters in size. As a result, it became even more solid like a lump of jelly. The vengeful spirit seemed to have realized that it was trapped, and it began to emit a low, weird whistling sound. Then, there was a fierce turbulence in the fetter. But this was useless. The decoding device could not read a thing.
"Let's take a look at the thing's information structure..." the MDT muttered while it inserted itself into a small console next to the device. There was a small crack just enough to allow the MDT to snap into it. "Look at its frequency and wavelength..."
Hao Ren scratched his chin as he looked at the MDT with interest. "You always find a suitable slot for yourself, eh?" said Hao Ren.
"Of course! I'm the most adaptable model. If there's a hole, I can plug myself in it," the MDT sounded cocky. "Now stop messing around, I'm going to perform a data analysis!"
Hao Ren suddenly became serious and allowed the MDT to show off its capabilities. However, in just a matter of seconds, he heard the laboratory's analysis host computer prompting, "The second analyzer has begun calculation."
Hao Ren looked at the MDT suspiciously. "Are you sure you're doing the analysis?"
"...I'm just giving the command!"
Everyone was speechless.
Regardless, the equipment was working well. Its surface was glowing and the sweet chiming sound completely suppressed the meaningless whir of the vengeful spirit. A beam of light flew in the processing core, decoding the information from the vengeful spirit. The data stored in the electromagnetic waves, which were constantly changing in shape began to gradually reveal its secrets. The reading process was long and random: sometimes, the device would suddenly extract several meaningful bytes, but the analysis host would discard them, because subsequent data did not match their format. The existence of the vengeful spirit was so wonderful that both their memory and informational expressions were very different from common linguistic structures as well as thinking structures. The analysis host had to establish a set of expression formulas from scratch.
"There are superficial, emotion-like reactions such as anger and impatience, as well as resistance and adaptability. Nevertheless, these reactions are more of a result of instinct rather than thinking," the MDT reported frankly. "It really doesn't have the ability to think. It only displayed the activities of a living being under the guidance of a bunch of strange calculation rules. It looks like the Tannaeans wanted to save their thoughts through coding eternally, but the First Born deleted their thinking part. Except, these coding rules are still running."
Hao Ren thought for a moment and pretended to have understood. "So, what about the vengeful spirit's memory?"
"There are some fragments. The analysis host is trying to reorganize them." The MDT emitted a bunch of projections. "Look at this one; it's distorted beyond recognition. This is what the world looks like from the perspective of the vengeful spirit. It's unlike the perspective of ordinary living things. Without prior interpretation, I'm afraid nobody can read it."
Nangong Wuyue asked nervously. "Can you interpret it? Can you find news of my parents?"
The MDT knew how to say a word of comfort. "Don't worry, the ontology of the information won't be destroyed. If a translation fails, you can still try again. As long as the vengeful spirit has been in touch with your parents, and doesn't possess a memory deletion mechanism, they'll definitely be found. Theoretically, unless there's external disturbance, a group of electromagnetic waves won't automatically erase its memories—so, you can put your brother down now."
Nangong Wuyue came to her senses again and quickly let go off her brother. Hao Ren stepped forward and held Nangong Sanba up. "It's not easy for you, eh?"
Nangong Sanba was grateful, again. "Thanks, bro…"
Hao Ren suddenly had a feeling that the half-baked demon hunter was scurrying all over the world not just to find his parents and make a living, but also to hide from his sister's tail.... The siren's habit of coiling people up with her tail was simply terrible!
Of course, one might ask, what would happen if there was no one around, or if she could not get her hands on a victim at all? Simple—she would roll herself up into a serpentine ball. How else did she manage to turn into the usual serpent ball?
The equipment completed scanning the surface information of the vengeful spirit. This strange creature's incredible information storage method had the analysis host confused as the system sounded in the lab, "Initial scan has ended. No available interpretation rules were found. The host needs to reorganize the calculations to complete the follow-up work."
Hao Ren asked, "How long will it probably take?"
The analysis host was silent before replying, "...Unknown."
"Relax, it won't take too long. The analysis host computer's logic isn't that flexible. It can't tell you a probable reply, but I think it should take two or three days." The MDT detached itself from the equipment slot and flew back to Hao Ren's shoulder. "You can go back and feed the fish, play with the cat, walk the dog, and in two days, the results should be available. You can also go and discuss your big plan with the Aerymian elves…"
Hao Ren turned around and looked at the Nangong siblings. The two were obviously a little disappointed. But after learning that there was still a light at the end of the tunnel, they became less nervous and anxious. Nangong Wuyue nodded and said, "Well, in that case, we'll wait."
Before leaving, Hao Ren issued new instructions to the Petrachelys; the first was to keep studying the vengeful spirit, and then, to start mass production of the interference pheromone for the First Born—he was preparing for his next big project.
Hence, they arrived home after that. The first thing Hao Ren did was rush to check on Rollie: the cat girl had just become a human and she was still ignorant of the human world. He was afraid that she would run out without Big Beardy's knowledge. As it turned out, the dumb cat was obedient this time. Hao Ren went up to the second floor and found the maiden playing with something in the corner of her room.
"I'm back," said Hao Ren as he stepped forward and said hello to his cat. "What are you doing?"
The cat girl turned her head and snorted lazily before coming up to him with a grin. "Big Boss Cat, you're good to me, aren't you?"
Hao Ren did not know what she was doing. He just nodded, feeling perplexed. "Yeah... What's behind you? What are you hiding?"
The cat girl smiled happily and said, "Ta-da! It's a mouse. For you."
Hao Ren could only say, "What the heck?"