Deus Ex Machina: Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The rain showed no sign of stopping.

The two of them stood under the shelter outside. Bai Yunci asked, “Has he shown any other abnormal reactions?”

“No, everything seems normal,” Yang Jin said irritably.

“Yes, doctor,” Fan Fan finally dared to speak up. “The frequency difference between the two has remained within one, almost perfect, with no issues at all.”

“Close your eyes,” Bai Yunci observed Yang Jin’s state for a while. He connected the line hanging from Yang Jin’s wrist to the small computer Feng Mang had left outside. “Close your eyes, adjust your breathing, and carefully feel if there’s any difference.”

Yang Jin closed his eyes, his ears filled with the sound of rain. His emotions calmed in the steady, soothing sound. He consciously said, “I shouldn’t be this agitated. Something’s affecting me.”

“And now?” Bai Yunci asked.

“Now he’s asleep,” Yang Jin said.

“Yes, he’s asleep. When he’s asleep, there’s no pain,” Bai Yunci stared at the data on the screen. “You can try to link with him, to comfort him.”

Yang Jin lowered his head slightly, as if following Bai Yunci’s instructions. But suddenly, he opened his eyes and questioned Bai Yunci, “Why?”

“Maybe you’re sharing something now,” Bai Yunci said. “Although the extent and duration are unclear, the reality is as it is. You can sense his consciousness—not clear thoughts, just a feeling.”

“We only need to transmit information,” Yang Jin said. “Is there any way to suppress these… these so-called ‘feelings’? I can’t be influenced by someone else’s emotions.”

“I’ll think of something,” Bai Yunci said. “But don’t worry, Shi Yixi isn’t someone with large emotional swings. His mind is quite empty; he won’t affect you much.”

Yang Jin responded, “…I already know there’s nothing in his head.”

“I…” Bai Yunci said, “I have another question for you.”

“What?”

“The Inner City gates open once a month. Once he’s inside, what then?” Bai Yunci asked. “Let him stay inside for a month? We can’t wait that long. How do we get him out?”

“What if there’s no way?” Yang Jin said. “Everything is uncertain.”

Bai Yunci and Yang Jin exchanged glances. After a moment, Bai Yunci said, “I understand.”

Yang Jin shrugged.

“Go back,” Bai Yunci said. “You need to head to Shacheng early. I hope Shi Yixi doesn’t fall back asleep.”

When Shi Yixi opened his eyes, the sky was just beginning to brighten. He felt a heavy head and light feet, with a pervasive fatigue that seemed to seep from his bones. Struggling, he sat up and looked around, finding that he was the only one in bed. The other beds were neatly folded and not in use.

“Mmm…” Ying Si, who had been crouched by Shi Yixi’s bed, stirred and looked up at him with confusion. Instantly, he was fully awake. “You’re awake? How do you feel? Still uncomfortable?”

Shi Yixi shook his head. “I’m fine, I’m good.”

“Awake?” Bai Yunci and Yang Jin were standing at a distance. Bai Yunci waved to Shi Yixi. “Still uncomfortable? Can you get up?”

“I can,” Shi Yixi said, as if to prove it to Bai Yunci, and slowly stood up from the bed. Yang Jin stood behind Bai Yunci, silently watching Shi Yixi.

“Mm, not bad,” Bai Yunci said. “Have breakfast, then you and Yang Jin will head to Shacheng. While you’re eating, we’ll go over the details of the task.”

Before Shi Yixi could respond, Ying Si interjected, “Do you have any humanity at all?”

“Get out,” Bai Yunci said coldly.

Dalia was exhausted and refused to eat. At the table were only five people, with the focus on Yang Jin and Shi Yixi. The two of them ate while listening to Bai Yunci and Feng Mang discuss.

Feng Mang analyzed the possible conditions from a technical perspective, but these were just assumptions; the specifics would only be clear once Shi Yixi was inside.

“The main feature is uncertainty,” Feng Mang said. “The situation inside could be either good or bad, so, Yixi, you need to be adaptable.”

“Stop scaring him,” Bai Yunci said. “We’ll help you.” He patted Yang Jin’s shoulder. “Right?”

Yang Jin nodded.

“Alright, now let’s do a test,” Bai Yunci said. “Yixi, try to visualize what you see in your mind. You don’t need to tell us what you see.”

Shi Yixi earnestly followed the instructions. Bai Yunci asked Yang Jin, “What is it?”

“A glass,” Yang Jin replied.

“Good,” Bai Yunci said to Yang Jin. “Now it’s your turn. Send him a command.” Before Bai Yunci could ask, Shi Yixi answered on his own, “You want me to pour you a glass of water, right?”

Ying Si stared at the two of them in astonishment and said, “If one person can know what the other is thinking instantly, doesn’t that mean there’s no privacy at all?”

Bai Yunci explained, “No, they only transmit what they consciously want to share. It’s like how you consciously leave unimportant things on the table for everyone to see, while important things are locked in a drawer. Privacy is stored in a part of the brain that, to the other person, is just a vague feeling, not a precise awareness of what it is.”

Ying Si muttered, “That’s still pretty scary.”

“When you return, I’ll find a way to sever the connection,” Bai Yunci said.

Feng Mang asked, “How will Yixi get out?”

Everyone looked at Yang Jin, who said, “We’ll find a way.”

Yang Jin and Shi Yixi went to Shacheng, while the others stayed behind. The two of them disguised themselves as ordinary civilians without carrying any weapons. Shi Yixi prepared to enter the Inner City at six o’clock, while Yang Jin stayed at a small inn in the Outer City, acting as a relay station to transmit information and take action if necessary.

The room was thoroughly inspected. Yang Jin set up a soundproofing device and connected to the rear through the terminal on his wrist.

“Have you arrived?” Feng Mang asked, with four people crowding the screen.

“He should be on his way to the Inner City now.” Yang Jin found it hard to describe his current feeling. It was like a telepathic connection, allowing him to clearly know Shi Yixi’s movements. More frighteningly, as time passed and the connection stabilized, he could even recreate in his mind the scenes Shi Yixi saw with his eyes.

“He’s inside without any issues. The interior is a circular area with all roads forming a straight cross,” Yang Jin said. “The layout is an obsessive-compulsive person’s paradise.”

Feng Mang listened attentively to Yang Jin’s description and began constructing a model of the Inner City with Ying Si.

Shi Yixi wandered aimlessly around the Inner City. He initially thought the Inner City was entirely a work zone, but he soon discovered there were also leisure and entertainment areas. Although people seemed relaxed, they all appeared to have specific tasks, moving with clear purposes. He was the only one meandering.

Feeling lost, he suddenly thought he heard Yang Jin’s voice.

“Is there a truck passing by you? It came in from outside the city,” Yang Jin said. “Follow it and see where it goes.”

“Okay,” Shi Yixi nodded.

“Don’t nod to thin air,” Yang Jin reminded him.

Shi Yixi, realizing his mistake, felt a bit embarrassed. He identified the direction of the truck and started walking deeper into the Inner City. The further he went, the fewer people there were. After passing through a circular corridor, he found where the truck had parked.

In front of him stood a small, two-story white building with a sign at the entrance. As Shi Yixi moved, Yang Jin saw the words on the sign.

“Kodo Biotechnology Laboratory.”

The information was relayed almost instantly to the team behind. Yang Jin said, “Check out this laboratory for me.”

While Feng Mang and Ying Si continued building the model, Bai Yunci started the search. “This laboratory has no registered information; there’s nothing to find.”

The other two had already constructed this part of the model. Bai Yunci looked at the two-story building and said, “What could be done in such a small space?”

“Maybe it’s just for show?” Yang Jin suggested.

“It does seem like a facade,” Feng Mang said. “Based on the current building structure analysis, there should be a large basement, two to three levels deep, with very strong support capable of holding heavy machinery.”

Bai Yunci said, “Looks like there’s something fishy.”

After discussing their plan, Yang Jin instructed Shi Yixi, “Next, do as I say.”

Shi Yixi walked over to where the truck was parked and saw two workers unloading cargo. He quickly approached them and said, “Sorry, I’m late.”

The two workers looked puzzled. One of them asked, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“I’m a temporary worker here to help today,” Shi Yixi replied. “Didn’t anyone inform you? Sorry, I overslept. I won’t take today’s wages; I’ll just help you out for free.” As he spoke, he began to help move the boxes. One of the workers stopped him and scolded, “Little demon, get lost! Do you know what’s inside these? Get lost!”

“What is it?” Shi Yixi asked.

Just as the worker was about to answer, another worker came over and said, “It’s nothing valuable. There’s still half a truckload left. You go ahead and move it. Stack them against the wall inside.” He patted his coworker and said with a grin, “Let’s take a break.”

Shi Yixi complied, moving the boxes one by one from the truck to the inside, and then took a moment to observe the structure inside. It seemed to be an ordinary garage, and he couldn’t tell what was in the boxes; they weren’t as heavy as he had imagined. Soon, he finished and went to the two workers, saying, “I’m done, but… aren’t we stuck here?”

“You really are new,” one worker said. “We have work permits from Kodo Laboratory. We can leave the same day.”

“Really?” Shi Yixi scratched his head. “I didn’t know that.”

Suddenly, there was some movement in the garage. A seamless wall opened slightly, and a person emerged. The person wore a lab coat and held a tablet, appearing to be checking the inventory. The workers greeted him warmly, “Dr. Li, it’s you again?”

“Mmh,” Dr. Li said. “The quantity looks fine.” He didn’t open the boxes for inspection but instead brought out a large transporter to collect all the cargo. The workers finished their paperwork, said goodbye to Dr. Li, and got into the truck to leave.

The truck exited the Inner City using a different route. After leaving, one of the workers suddenly asked, “Where’s that little demon?”

Shi Yixi had sneaked into the door while they were checking the inventory. Once inside, he received a message from Yang Jin, informing him of possible monitoring points and instructing him to avoid them as much as possible.

This place indeed led underground, with signs in the corridor indicating there were three basement levels.

“Each level requires a keycard access,” Shi Yixi said. “I can’t get in.”

Yang Jin said, “Open the side cover of the keycard reader.”

Without tools, Shi Yixi had to dismantle the side device with his bare hands, nearly breaking the casing in the process.

“Be careful,” Yang Jin said.

“Sorry,” Shi Yixi whispered. This time, he was much more careful, and with a slight pry, the interior was exposed. Yang Jin described it to Fan Fan, who said, “There should be a cold start password device. I’ll need some time to calculate and crack it.”

“How long?” Yang Jin asked.

“A thousand years,” Fan Fan replied.

“You can go to hell.”

“Alright, three minutes,” Fan Fan said. “Hold on.”

The three minutes felt like an eternity. No one knew if someone might pass by, and Shi Yixi, squatting nervously to the side, felt his anxiety intensely, which even Yang Jin could sense.

“The password is TPS0327,” Fan Fan said.

“0327?” Yang Jin muttered.

“What’s wrong?” Fan Fan asked.

“Nothing.”

Shi Yixi found the keypad and entered the password one by one. With a beep, the door opened. The tension peaked, but upon entering, he found it was a library-like area. Bookshelves were neatly arranged under the cold white light.

Yang Jin said, “Close the door and see what’s inside.”

“It looks like some kind of documentation,” Shi Yixi scanned around. “Introduction to Kodo Biotechnology Laboratory…” He opened one of the books, which recorded the laboratory’s creation date and main projects.

“They’re working on a hormone drug called ‘Xing Bao ¹ ,'” Shi Yixi said. “This drug helps stabilize genes and is intended for people with congenital genetic defects.”

Yang Jin asked, “Lao Bai, do you know about this stuff?”

“I’ve seen it on the black market,” Bai Yunci quickly searched for information on Xing Bao. “This isn’t a legally produced project. Although ordinary people’s genes do evolve, they don’t have potential abilities. But quite a few people want to gain potential abilities through other means. This drug has related effects; it’s not for treating congenital genetic defects… What are you thinking?”

“Hai Yan,” Yang Jin said the two words. “Looks like we found the right place.”

Shi Yixi was about to look for more clues when he heard a commotion at the door, with two people talking. Startled, Shi Yixi was told by Yang Jin to find a place to hide, feeling his heart rise with anxiety.

After the conversation at the door ended, someone walked in, seemingly looking for something. Shi Yixi hid behind the innermost shelf, praying the person would find what they were looking for and leave quickly.

But the footsteps drew closer.

“What do I do?” Shi Yixi asked Yang Jin, holding his breath.

“Don’t be afraid,” Yang Jin said, though he didn’t have any other solution.

The footsteps stopped very close, and the person began browsing the shelves. Shi Yixi could catch a glimpse of the person’s back: wearing a white lab coat, black dress pants, and immaculately clean black leather shoes. He was tall, with a slender, upright build, and long black hair flowing like a waterfall almost down to his waist.

But one thing was certain—this was a man.

Soon, the man seemed to have found what he was looking for and headed towards the door.

Shi Yixi breathed a sigh of relief.

The footsteps grew fainter… gradually…

Wrong!

Shi Yixi suddenly turned around, terrified to see the man behind him. At the same time, Yang Jin felt a sharp pain in his head, and the man’s face appeared in his mind.

He opened his eyes wide in disbelief, but there was nothing in front of him, just an empty room.

“Yang Jin?” Bai Yunci asked nervously. “What happened? What did you see?”

“Zhan Feng,” Yang Jin muttered the name in a daze. “It’s him.”

“Zhan Feng?” Bai Yunci was shocked. “Isn’t he dead? Are you seeing ghosts?”

Feng Mang asked, “Who’s Zhan Feng?”

Shi Yixi hesitated for a moment before nodding. It was his own reaction, as Yang Jin remained silent in his mind. However, after nodding, he felt uncertain because he couldn’t be sure if Yang Jin would want to be friends with someone like him.

A strong person should have strong friends, not someone like him.

“I should get rid of you, but in consideration of Yang Jin, I can let you go,” Zhan Feng said, implying, “Because you’re Yang Jin’s friend, I’ll give you a gift.”

“What… what are you going to do?” Shi Yixi slowly retreated.

Zhan Feng shrugged. “Nothing.”

“You’re still alive, why not find him?” Shi Yixi asked.

“Qianfan is gone,” Zhan Feng replied. “Does it matter?”

Shi Yixi asked, “You know?”

Zhan Feng shook his head. “Not entirely.”

At this moment, the communicator on the table rang. Zhan Feng answered it, and it was Dr. Li’s voice, which Shi Yixi remembered. He looked at the table, which only had a few documents and a small labeled glass vial.

“Dr. Zhan, are you in the office?” Dr. Li said. “I need to check the shipping list for Xing Biao with you.”

“Just a moment,” Zhan Feng said. “Can I come to you later? I’m a bit busy right now.”

Dr. Li was silent for a moment before replying, “Okay.”

Zhan Feng pulled up the surveillance footage, showing a team led by Dr. Li heading toward their location. He turned off the footage, took off his lab coat, casually tied up his long hair, and grabbed Shi Yixi to leave.

“You need to get out of here,” Zhan Feng repeated.

“But…”

“No buts. Do you want to die?” Zhan Feng continued, “Don’t ask unnecessary questions.” They were underground, and Zhan Feng remained calm and composed. Shi Yixi didn’t know what to say, and Yang Jin didn’t prompt him to speak either. The elevator carried them all the way up.

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Translator Notes

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