Deus Ex Machina: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Feng Mang was extremely hospitable, which surprised everyone. After touring his lab, Yang Jin speculated that with Feng Mang’s wealth and capabilities, his arms business couldn’t be just “somewhat renowned.” He found Feng Mang to be quite low-key, with many hobbies that didn’t match his identity.

A head of a family-run arms business who liked to raise flowers, plants, and small animals, always talking about dreams of heroism, love, and peace. Did he not realize that if world peace were achieved, he’d be completely out of business?

“Are these our companions?” Feng Mang curiously looked at the two young men behind Yang Jin.

“Sort of,” Yang Jin replied, very perfunctory, not even intending to introduce them.

“Ah, such pure and lovely children,” Feng Mang remarked out of nowhere. It seemed as though, in his eyes, nothing was less than beautiful.

“Hello,” Shi Yixi politely greeted Feng Mang.

“And what’s your name?”

“Shi Yixi.”

“Sounds like a girl’s name,” Feng Mang said, ruffling Shi Yixi’s hair. “I’ll just call you Xiao Shi.”

Ying Si internally retorted, “Disgusting.”

“The rooms have been prepared for you. If you need anything, just let me know,” Feng Mang said. “I hope you have a pleasant stay here.”

“Of course,” Yang Jin said. “But before that, I think we should discuss our plans. Feng Mang, is there a well-sealed place here?”

“In my house, the best place would be my lab,” Feng Mang replied. “Let’s go.”

Yang Jin was familiar with the way to the lab. Once everyone was inside, the heavy door closed behind them. Yang Jin casually walked around, placing his hands on a workbench, and said, “I have a plan.”

“What plan?” Feng Mang asked.

“You said there’s a more advanced lab in space. Perfect, because the weapons I need are not ordinary. Why don’t we go there directly?” 

“No,” Feng Mang shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Why?” Yang Jin asked.

“At the very least, we need some time to get acquainted.” Feng Mang walked over to Yang Jin, patted his shoulder, and said, “Don’t rush. Saving the world won’t be delayed by a few days.”

Yang Jin had a wristband on his wrist, which was resting on the workbench. Feng Mang glanced down and noticed that a red dot on it had turned green.

Before he could even think about what it meant, Yang Jin twisted his arms and forcefully pinned him to the table. Bai Yunci, as if prepared, quickly sprang over and deftly used suturing thread to tie up Feng Mang’s fingers behind his back, finishing with a knot around his neck.

“Don’t move, and don’t shout,” Bai Yunci warned Feng Mang softly. “Or it will cut your throat.”

Having seen his share of the world, Feng Mang quickly regained his composure after the initial panic subsided. “What are you trying to do?” he asked.

“Kidnapping, can’t you tell?” Yang Jin said calmly, not even glancing at Feng Mang, while his hands operated the control panel.

“Alert system disconnected, security disarmed,” Fan Fan said. “This system was quite tricky; the infiltration took longer than expected.”

“You’ve done great, Baby,” Yang Jin said, opening the lab’s operating system, then pulling Feng Mang over, pressing his eyes to the scanner.

“Are you bandits?” Feng Mang finally snapped. “Let me go! You lunatic!”

“Sorry, I don’t have the patience for your so-called getting acquainted,” Yang Jin said. “A hero’s time is fighting minutes, snatching seconds ¹.” As the verification passed with a crisp sound, the wall at the end flipped, revealing Feng Mang’s spaceship docked behind the lab.

Ying Si and Shi Yixi, who had been watching the whole time, were speechless, with Ying Si even gaping.

“Come over here, you two,” Yang Jin called out to them, then pressed Feng Mang into the spaceship and activated the system.

“Hello, Mr. Feng,” the system, a gentle female voice, greeted Feng Mang.

But unfortunately, Feng Mang was far from good ², being controlled by Yang Jin like a piece of meat on a chopping block.

“Help us navigate,” Yang Jin said with a smile. “Come on, Mr. Feng, don’t try anything funny.”

This was Ying Si and Shi Yixi’s first time leaving Earth and entering the universe. Although humanity was not unfamiliar with space, for these two boys, it was like a fantastical dream come true.

The energy from the spaceship’s thrusters traced a bright line across the night sky, quickly breaking through the atmosphere and leaving the Earth’s surface behind.

Shi Yixi’s eyes widened as he looked out the window.

He had only seen descriptions of space on screens. Over the centuries, humanity’s curiosity about the universe had gradually waned, and even mentioning it barely sparked interest anymore. This might be an unchangeable human trait—the more straightforward something is, the less interesting it becomes. If Bluebeard had told his bride what was in the locked room from the start, she might never have opened that door.

Mystery holds a fatal attraction.

Shi Yixi was slow to understand why, in others’ descriptions, outer space was merely a place suitable for factories. His hometown wasn’t rich, and the sky was never as clear as at the Qianfan Base. On many nights, he would look up at the night sky, listening to his father tell him ancient legends, but he could never find those stars.

Now, as he stared into the endless darkness outside the window, he felt no fear of the unknown. Instead, he was deeply captivated.

“What are you looking at?” Yang Jin asked.

“Looking at the stars.” Shi Yixi asked, “Is there really no Chang’e ³ on the moon?”

Yang Jin originally wanted to say no, that myths were just the beautiful fantasies of ancient humans. But when he saw the innocent look on Shi Yixi’s face, he suddenly didn’t want to say it.

It’s something even a three-year-old would know ah.

“Idiot, of course not!” Ying Si said. “There’s only one advanced civilization in the universe, and that’s humanity. Didn’t you learn that in elementary school?”

Shi Yixi scratched his head embarrassedly, saying, “I just couldn’t remember.”

“Lao Bai,” Yang Jin said, “get some medicine and poison that little trash mute. He’s really annoying.”

“You!” Ying Si had just started to speak when Bai Yunci turned around and gave him a cold, ruthless look. Ying Si immediately shut his mouth.

“You seem to be very afraid of Dr. Bai,” Shi Yixi said.

“No, I’m not!” Ying Si responded like a cat with its tail stepped on, “I’m not afraid at all!”

“Please, I’m begging you.” Feng Mang slumped in his seat like a dying fish. “Poison him mute!”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Yang Jin said, pushing the thruster. “Proceed at one-tenth the speed of light.”

“You’re insulting me!” Feng Mang said. “My spaceship can travel at the speed of light!”

Yang Jin said, “Have some consideration for two ignorant humans who are just experiencing space for the first time.” Traveling at the speed of light would be too much for the two little demons who had lived on the ground for over ten years.

About ten minutes later, they arrived at the space factory near Mercury.

Mercury’s environment is extremely harsh, with high temperatures, extreme cold, rapid orbital speed, and a variety of extreme conditions. It is not a place suitable for long-term human habitation, but it is surprisingly suitable for testing.

So Feng Mang had chosen to place his laboratory near Mercury.

“That’s why I say all tech guys are crazy.” Yang Jin felt a chill looking at the distant yellowish-white planet. As the spaceship adjusted its position, the huge ring-shaped space factory came into view.

“Wow—” Ying Si exclaimed. The enormous structure emitted a faint red glow at the edges under the scorching light of the sun, like a gear being roasted.

Ying Si asked, “Can you really survive in a place like this?”

“Of course, you can,” Yang Jin said. “Don’t underestimate humanity’s ability to survive. But the environment here is much harsher than Mars. Most people who come to work here are those with no one to rely on. Isn’t that right, you evil capitalist?” he asked Feng Mang with a sidelong glance.

Feng Mang shrugged. “I used to live here for a long time. Testing in extreme environments provides multidimensional data support for weapon upgrades. You don’t understand the beauty of such harshness.”

Yang Jin flicked Feng Mang’s forehead. “I don’t want to understand, okay?”

“Stop arguing,” Bai Yunci said. “Find a place to land and don’t waste time.”

The people at the space factory were very familiar with Feng Mang’s spaceship. The staff came to meet him and warmly greeted Feng Mang, showing genuine heartfelt welcome instead of the usual flattering politeness towards a boss.

Feng Mang’s hands were still tied behind his back, and he couldn’t call for help. He had to pretend to be walking with his hands behind his back, casually leading the way and reaching the lab without any hindrance.

As he had mentioned before, this lab was twice as large as the previous one, with the most advanced facilities.

Building something like this near Mercury gave Yang Jin a clear understanding of Feng Mang’s financial power.

“Can you let me go now?” Feng Mang asked.

Yang Jin exchanged a glance with Bai Yunci, who then placed a round patch behind Feng Mang’s ear and untied his restraints. “Don’t try any resistance. This thing can blow your head to bits.”

“How does it work?” Feng Mang was very curious. “Is it through brainwave frequency modulation? Can this thing be mass-produced?”

“You also need to be poisoned mute,” Bai Yunci said.

Feng Mang shut up.

“Stop the nonsense and get to work,” Yang Jin, always an action-taker, had Fan Fan connect to the lab’s system and pull up the schematic of a firearm. “I only have the structural blueprint, but the details inside aren’t clear. I need you to help me make an exact replica.”

Upon seeing the blueprint, Feng Mang immediately forgot he was a captive. With a professional attitude, he delved into his work, analyzing the data model of the sniper rifle. “Supernaturally finecraft ⁴, it is simply supernaturally finecraft,” he marveled, his eyes gleaming as he said to Yang Jin, “I can help you complete it, but I can’t guarantee the time frame since I’m the only one in the lab now.”

“Can’t the people outside help?” Yang Jin asked.

Feng Mang shook his head. “They only handle production. The core engineers are not here. And, do you want others to know about this?”

“How long do you need?” Yang Jin asked. “Give me an exact number.”

Feng Mang still shook his head. “I can’t guarantee. This thing… is too advanced.”

Yang Jin was growing impatient.

“Ying Si,” Shi Yixi whispered to Ying Si, “can you do it?”

Ying Si said, “Am I sick or something? Why should I make something for that guy named Yang?”

“But you clearly have a talent for it,” Shi Yixi said. “Why not use it?”

Ying Si replied, “Just because I have a talent, do I have to use it?”

Shi Yixi thought for a moment and said, “If I had a talent, I would be very willing to help others. But I have nothing, and I even end up being a burden… However, if someone needs me, I’ll do whatever they ask.”

“You’re such a do-gooder,” Ying Si said.

“What are you two little demons mumbling about?” Yang Jin walked over. “Shi Yixi, tell me.”

Shi Yixi looked at Yang Jin and shook his head.

“When did you become so disobedient?” Yang Jin’s hand pressed down on Shi Yixi’s head.

“Hey! Are you annoying or what?” Ying Si pushed Yang Jin away. “Is this how you treat people? He’s just recovered from his injury!”

“Stop being noisy!” Feng Mang, who had been immersed in the blueprint, was irritated by the commotion. “You two kids, don’t interfere with the adults’ work. Go play outside; there’s a playground.”

“You’re the kid!” Ying Si snapped. “Stop looking down on people!”

Feng Mang raised his chin and said, “Then tell me, what can you do besides talk big?”

Ying Si clenched his fists and walked step by step to Feng Mang. “Whatever you can do, I can do too.”

Due to the factory’s propulsion system, it can maintain the same rotational and orbital speed as Earth, despite being so close to the Sun. This way, the workers in the factory are on the same time schedule as their families on Earth.

A day still has twenty-four hours, with the Sun rising in the east and setting in the west. However, during the day, the Sun is extraordinarily large, and at night it gets extremely cold. An artificial temperature control system is needed to ensure human survival.

This was what Shi Yixi heard from Feng Mang. It was still night, and everyone was busy with their own tasks. As he had nothing to do, he went out to find a place to daydream, hoping to wait until dawn to see a different kind of sunrise.

He couldn’t help, and all he could do was not to add to the commotion, finding a spot to lower his presence.

Even though his presence wasn’t strong to begin with.

“What are you looking at?” A cold object touched his cheek. Shi Yixi instinctively shrank his neck and looked up to see Yang Jin.

“Looking at the stars.” Shi Yixi took the soda and answered honestly.

“You seem to really like looking at stars.” Yang Jin sat down as well.

“Because stars wink.” Shi Yixi said, “They’re far away from me, but it feels like they know me. That feeling is very… very…” He couldn’t find the right adjective.

“I have a star of my own.” Yang Jin said. “It was a reward from a mission. I rescued an astronomical organization, and to show their gratitude, they gave me a star. The female colleagues at the base thought it was very romantic, but what use do I have for a star?”

“That’s amazing.” Shi Yixi said. “Where is it? Can you see it from here?”

“No.” Yang Jin raised his hand, pulled up a star chart, and pointed to a distant light dot. “Here, its astronomical number is XD3423. I always forget to name it. If you hadn’t mentioned stars today, I would have forgotten it even existed.”

“Why?” Shi Yixi was puzzled. “Stars are so special, how could you forget?”

“Because it’s too far away from me.” Yang Jin said. “Human conflicts are unresolved; who has the mind to think about stars light-years away?”

“But I think it’s precisely because there are so many troubles in life that we need to look up at the stars.” Shi Yixi said.

Yang Jin laughed, “Little idiot, since when did you become so philosophical?”

“I’ve always thought that way,” Shi Yixi said. “When I look up, the stars don’t think I’m stupid.” Saying this, he pointed to the sky.

Yang Jin also followed the direction he pointed. Here, without the clouds and mist of Earth, the vast universe was laid bare, so serene and quiet.

“Do you know why we use the ship’s sail as our symbol?” Yang Jin suddenly asked.

Shi Yixi thought for a moment and said, “Because human society is like a ship in the river of history.”

“I remember the Nufeng Academy’s school rules put it much more poetically than that. Did you forget?” Yang Jin laughed. “Yes, humans boarded Noah’s Ark to escape from doomsday, conquering mountains and seas. The ship carries human civilization. If the vast universe is like an ocean, then human civilization is a lone boat in that ocean. And we are the sail on that lone boat.”

“We can guide the way,” Shi Yixi said. “Protect everyone.”

But Yang Jin said, “A sail has no freedom. To keep moving forward, the sail cannot be lowered.” He looked at Shi Yixi seriously, almost as if talking to himself, “Should I have brought you along?”

“I came willingly,” Shi Yixi almost blurted out. But he quickly felt that wasn’t the best way to put it, so he changed his words. “Do you dislike me? I know I’ve been holding everyone back. If you don’t want me anymore, I can go home by myself.”

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Translator Notes

1. Racing against time.[↩]
2. Hello in Chinese is literally “You good”[↩]
3. Chinese Mythology: Goddess on the moon and wife of Hou Yi, the great archer. Renowned by her beauty, Chang’e is also known for her ascending to the Moon with her pet Yu Tu, the Moon Rabbit and living in the Moon Palace (廣寒宮).[↩]
4. Work of the gods/ superlative craftsmanship[↩]