Act.5 Song for Someone

Foreword:

Boxing taught me that I must never lie down and stay still, but always be ready to get back up!

--Ernest Miller Hemingway

[Part 1: The Fear of Crimson]

Beneath the high walls of the Night Patrol Center's deep courtyard, Meteor looked up at the figure gradually flying away in mid-air. The drone's trail lights grew dimmer and dimmer, and yet another God of Night left the electronic android manufacturing plant.

Meteor exclaimed in surprise, "Another one died? So quickly?"

[You can't kill everyone, kid. Don't be too happy yet.]

Meteor analyzed logically and with evidence. "I didn't mean to underestimate the enemy, Hot Wind. I just feel that a very important person has come to Kanto City. You Night Patrol gods are like clay chickens and earthen dogs in his hands, like the Calabash Brothers saving their Grandfather, one after another giving away kills."

[The Eternal World will collect new combat data based on the battle records. The Executioner will grow stronger with each setback; this uninvited guest won't last long.]

"If I'm not mistaken," Meteor grinned, "Judging by this killing efficiency, it must be my Ming Ge who's here. As for your saying that he gets stronger with each setback? Hehe."

[Is there something wrong? Artificial Intelligence's learning efficiency far surpasses that of Homo sapiens, based on the data I've gathered from your cerebral cortex.]

[Use your memory of Jiang Xueming to conduct a wargame simulation.]

Holy crap?! This young man?!

In Meteor's mind, the information about the top light infantry unit at Nine Realms Station and the War King's combat records remained at thirteen months ago. That was the last time he cooperated with Jiang Xueming. After that, Meteor went to Galahad to prepare for the academician exam, staying away from the war.

The anonymous operator's combat style and strategy were: infiltration → intelligence gathering → annihilation of enemy forces.

This team excels at urban warfare and can unleash terrifying combat power in complex building areas.

During official missions, Hot Wind actually learns very little about Jiang Xueming's combat memories.

Because once the mission begins, it is very rare to see A Xing and Xue Ming fighting side by side in the same scene. The Nameless One usually has to split up and take on many enemies one by one to dismantle large numbers of troops.

Aside from the sparring in the arena, Hot Wind had just figured out War King's KDA [kills/losses/assists] when Meteor exclaimed in disbelief in his mind—this was a warrior from a version that was ahead of its time. He was an old-timer from 1984 and had never seen such an outrageous record.

"Can the God of Night learn a lesson from my Ming Ge?" Meteor grinned, revealing his gleaming teeth. "What can he learn? To put it incredibly arrogantly—six years ago, my brother had over a hundred different ways to kill the elite soldiers of the Madness Butterfly Sect."

"His ability to learn combat techniques—regarding CQB, survival, and hand-to-hand combat between light infantry—even the boss praised him highly."

"After Jiang Zheng was born, this little girl carried some of the characteristics of the BOSS, so Ming Ge remained highly vigilant towards Fragrant Dream and had no intention of abusing his Soul Power."

"The expedition against the Madness Butterfly Sect lasted for six years. Towards the end of the war, I rarely saw him in his full-power form. Flash Butterfly Armor Wenyu Wuhuan were gathering dust, and were occasionally given to me and my sister-in-law to use. Nowadays, I can't quite understand how strong Ming Ge really is. He's no longer in a different world from me."

[If the War King in your memory was truly that valiant—even if the Night Patrol gods died hundreds more times, they wouldn't gain the slightest advantage.]

[If the Night Patrol cannot handle this formidable enemy, [Hayabusa] and [Zhong Kui] will soon send even more powerful deities to subdue this intruder.]

Upon hearing that these electronic androids were being reinforced, Meteor became nervous.

"They're also your clones? Even more powerful than that dark, metal lump?"

[They are not my clones. [Hayabusa] and [Zhong Kui] are more specialized combat units. Clones created based on the Hot Wind are not qualified to install more powerful cybernetic bodies and modules— the Shinto People must always be wary of these unstable individuals defecting. If a clone accidentally evolves into the original, it would be a disaster for the Shinto People.]

My clone can only hold the position of a patrol officer at most.

Meteor: "Do you think Ming Ge can handle these guys?"

[I'm not sure. Your memory contains very little information about spirits like Fragrant Dream. If the War King were to use his mortal body and radiant stone staff against Hayabusa and Zhong Kui —he would have no chance of winning.]

While Hot Wind was explaining, Meteor wasn't idle either.

Both the northwest and southeast security posts were heavily guarded. He chose a secluded corner to avoid the drone patrol and monitoring, climbed onto the long box on the assembly line, pried open the ventilation duct, and crawled into the box to follow the conveyor belt into the Night Patrol center.

[Kid, I recommend you follow these parts into the manufacturing plant, avoid the Kyoraku Special Squad patrols, and find your weapon.]

Meteor: "That's exactly what I was thinking. You and I are on the same page."

[If everything goes smoothly, we'll find the route used to transport the brains through the logistics system, then return to the Day Patrol center, go to the Angel Infant production base, and smash it to pieces.]

The meteor raced forward, crossing a conveyor belt hundreds of meters long.

"By cutting off this barracks' production capacity, Ming Ge can focus on dealing with those two god-like figures you mentioned. Our Nameless leader's greatest strength lies in using brute force against brute force."

[You still want to find Luo Ping'an, right?]

Meteor still doesn't know where Mr. Heian is currently imprisoned. In fact, Mr. Heian's incarnation has already been moved to Ginza, which is more than 230 kilometers away from the Little Kanto, and is in another city.

"Right"

Before A Xing could finish speaking, he ran into the processing plant along the artificial body assembly line and saw two temporary workers from the Kyoraku Special Squad inspecting the discharge port.

He bumped right into the two of them, and there they were, staring at each other.

None of the three spoke; for a moment, everyone was a little confused.

[It seems my judgment was wrong; there's defense here too.]

The temporary worker wasn't holding a gun; just a second ago he was complaining about the inconsistent quality of the prosthetics delivered. The final function correction was a crucial step, determining whether the recruits could immediately adapt to their limbs and become familiar with their senses in combat.

But a second later, an unidentified stranger ran in from the conveyor belt and stood frozen to the side of the distribution channel. He had no weapons in his hands and no armor on his body. He didn't seem to be wearing any cybernetic equipment and looked like a clumsy natural person.

"Hey!" The temporary worker on the left pulled down his goggles and yelled at A Xing, "Are you a newborn? What are you doing here?!"

The temporary worker on the right yelled, "Are you out of your mind? Trespassing in the Night Patrol center is illegal! Hands up!"

[What are you going to do now, Bu Liuxing?]

A Xing muttered under his breath, "Shouldn't you be the one giving me instructions, Hot Wind? You said you had extensive combat experience."

[You actually asked me for advice.]

I thought you'd forgotten about it.

Meteor pouted and raised his hand sullenly. Just then, Hikari responded to him, emitting a bright light. "So what do you suggest we do now?"

[Prepare for battle.]

The temporary worker on the left immediately became alert and put down the artificial body parts he was holding.

"Who are you talking to?!"

The temporary worker on the right looked surprised and began to stammer.

"Red Akita! His Venom is red! His Venom is red!"

Upon hearing this, both soldiers simultaneously reached for their carrying equipment, preparing to draw their weapons and engage the enemy.

--They seemed terrified. The crimson VENOM apparatus seemed to be a curse in Shinto City, infamous for its power. This was the first time that A Xing had awakened the Glowstone in front of ordinary citizens.

"Akita is holding onto my arm! I can't draw my sidearm!"

"Yamashita... I... I... I think I'm the same way. I..."

A Xing watched this scene—the legs of the two brothers, Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick, trembled like leaves, their Thumb pressed on the unlocking latch of the quick-draw holster, but they couldn't pull out the gun no matter what they did.

"They seem to be afraid of me?"

[When the two deities, Day and Night, experience symptoms of personality splitting, they will remember me, their father; when they descend into madness, they will also possess VENOM mechanisms of this color.]

[For ordinary people, the red VENOM represents disaster.]

[Part ② - Just in Time]

A Xing walked forward step by step, while the two temporary workers retreated step by step.

Only when their backs slammed against the cold iron wall did the panicked Akita finally pull out his secondary weapon.

No sooner said than done --

--Meteor raised his hand and grabbed his wrist, while his other bright red arm pressed against Yamashita's neck, casually pulling him around.

The two brothers bumped heads together, their bulletproof helmets collided, making a gong-like sound. Their brains vibrated back and forth in their skulls, and both of them went limp and fell asleep, returning to [Extreme Bliss Space].

[You're not planning to kill them?]

A Xing checks the condition of his pistol, searches the enemy for a submachine gun, and takes his carrying gear and magazine.

"Hot Wind, should I kill them? I don't know."

[They're paid to do things; they're the henchmen of Shinto People. If I were you, I wouldn't spare their lives.]

"I used to kill cult members; they committed countless atrocities and deserved it. But what about these two?" Meteor put on his helmet and checked the bulletproof plates on his gear. "Can you tell me what crimes they committed?"

[The moment these two accepted the bounty, they were already prepared to die. Meteor, take a good look up.]

A Xing raised his head and, following the bright red light from the VENOM on his right arm, looked towards another passage.

One by one, skulls were sent to the processing workshop by conveyor belt. Those skulls were all semi-finished products, with exposed muscles and some connective tissue. They would only be considered complete after the skinning process was completed.

These heads, unlike the Night Patrol gods or executioners, have spines that are not fully protected. They only have twenty-five joints, and their mobility and coordination are far inferior to those of executioners.

[See those? These heads are the newborns nurtured by the Day Patrol and the Eternal World, carefully selected from the human gene pool of Shinto City, representing various typical human types.]

[In this city, having children privately is illegal and a crime. They are missing seven vertebrae and are unworthy of having a reproductive system. If they want to experience real sexual intercourse, they need to pay extra to purchase corresponding prosthetic bodies.]

[The two soldiers you just stunned were also Angel Infant produced by these typical humanoid institutions.]

[They are not real humans—these physical essences are products that ghosts in Extreme Bliss Space need to pay for.]

Meteor roared, "So that's how it is!?"

I can feel your anger, and you should be able to feel mine too.

[For these mass-produced brains, death is the best relief, an immense blessing.]

You are not killing them, you are saving them.

[They might still retain a faint trace of consciousness, but the VENOM mechanism on their arms has completely taken over the hypothalamus's consciousness center.]

[They can't distinguish between reality and VR training. Born from an artificial womb, this brain belongs to a ghost with the same DNA. They need to provide rebirth insurance services for the ghost and create a new physical body for it.]

[The moment every life is born, it is immediately devoured by ghosts and becomes a substitute.]

[I told you, don't believe fragmented memories, they're not real--]

[I am terrified that the VENOM organization will affect your personality and reason.]

I don't want you to become another Hot Wind, so don't try to pry into my memories.

[Make your choice now, Meteor Boy.]

Bu Liuxing raised the muzzle of his gun, gritted his teeth, and pursed his lips, his expression ferocious.

He looked at the two soldiers, finding it hard to imagine what kind of monsters were being created in the flesh mill of Shinto City.

My finger is inside the trigger guard, getting closer and closer to the trigger.

But he started to cry.

Yes, he has always been a crybaby.

This was the first time he had shed tears since arriving at Shinto City.

Sometimes I find it hard to imagine how such a weak person could achieve such great feats in an anonymous army.

[What are you thinking, Bu Liuxing? Our synchronization rate has plummeted to rock bottom. At this moment, I cannot understand you. Your blood-brain barrier and spirit are shutting me out; I cannot reach your cerebral cortex.]

"Hot Wind."

Bu Liuxing's upper arms were taut, and more tears streamed down his face.

"Things used to be wonderful, didn't they?"

How long ago was this "before"?

"Before all of this happened."

[What does all this refer to? I am merely a ghost; my Artificial Intelligence cannot comprehend these abstract questions. If you are willing to open your heart and stay in sync with me, I can search your memories and answer these questions for you.]

A Xing expelled the Hot Wind from his brain, and only in this position could he remain clear-headed and fully see the Hot Wind—at that moment, he fiercely pulled the trigger!

"Bang--"

The bullet pierced the soldier's skull, leaving a radiating mass of brain matter mixed with white artificial blood on the cold wall.

"That's what I was asking."

The meteor shifted the gun barrel.

"In 1984, before the Shinto Six Ministries were so powerful."

"Things used to be wonderful, didn't they?"

He has always been clumsy with words, finding it difficult to express himself in complete and clear sentences.

Hot Wind couldn't understand the host's unspoken meaning, but it could vaguely sense a strong and warm emotion within Bu Liuxing's heart.

[If my neural network analysis results are correct, are you sympathizing with me?]

The meteor answered loudly, "Yes! I feel very sad! If only none of this had happened!"

Meteor Boy

"If the disaster hadn't happened, the God of Shinto City wouldn't have been born—Brother Ping An is right. An era of hoping for a hero's arrival is pathetic, but an era of praying to the Gods must be truly terrifying."

"You don't want me to understand you; you've hidden all your memories."

"But I can definitely feel it, every time I come into contact with these strange androids, it's like I can empathize with you."

"How much did the people of this land pay to combat the disaster?"

"It must have been beautiful before, right?"

[It wasn't as bad as you think; it used to be. It's just gotten worse now.]

[Our chapter has suffered heavy losses in the fight against the Scourge and the Vita Imprint.]

[Sacrifice is a shortcut, and choosing Artificial Intelligence is also a shortcut.]

After taking countless shortcuts, I finally realized there was no road ahead.

Entrusting Homo sapiens to the rule of gods is itself an act of utter inhumanity.

[Perhaps when the Fifty-One Pillars were completed, the management team at the time could have foreseen the disaster that would occur decades later. This is what a society without humanity should be like.]

[Everything you've seen, everything you've experienced—all the horrific and bizarre stories you've encountered in Stone Hill Town and Extreme Bliss Space, the dead and the living freaks and deformities—it all seems perfectly reasonable now.]

[Here are traces of Homo sapiens activity from 1984, and lifelike figures—but no real, living beings.]

But we have no choice but to become slaves to ghosts? To become silent tombstones?

I think anyone would choose to live without hesitation.

This is a life instinct, it's human nature.

"Bang--"

Meteor fired a second shot, silently wiping away her tears.

Right now, at this very moment.

The executioner on Night Patrol had just crossed the door when he followed the sound of gunfire into the logistics room.

The two sworn enemies met again, staring at each other without moving.

The lights illuminated the executioner's eyes, a blood-red composite sight locked onto the target, and jet-black nano-armor climbed up his pale muscles.

The meteor's spiritual power erupted from its physical body, creating a whistling sound.

"You've come at the perfect time."