Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1586
"A drastic change in the environment always leads to a change of character. That is growth."
The Fist King said calmly, "You've also changed a lot in the past year. Just look at yourself in the mirror. Can you still see the young girl who held the Gold Barley on the Land of Sins a year ago? It is only natural that Han Te has also changed."
"But he has become someone who is too cocky and egotistical!"
Liu Li put the maintenance tools into her pockets and declared angrily, her arms akimbo and her cheeks puffed out, "It's not just about… what we said just now. He is also always saying weird stuff nowadays, like 'don't laugh at a young man when he is still poor' or 'Lord Han Te does not need to explain what he does to anybody else'. He is now also eccentric and extreme. A few days ago, a crew member on Stainless Mouse pissed him off, and he beat the guy's bones into dozens of pieces ruthlessly. Dear heavens. Was he still the Han Te that I knew? How did he change into this?
"I-I truly don't know. He is the only 'family' that I have after coming to such a distant place from our hometown, and we are supposed to be nice to each other. But I truly don't like him right now, the 'Lord Han Te'!"
"Got it. What about Li Jialing?"
The Fist King said, "You've been spending a lot of time with Li Jialing recently, Miss Liu Li. Do you like him? Do you want to stimulate the nerval synapses and exchange genetic information with him?"
Chapter 2496: The Fist King's Prescription |
"Of course not!"
Liu Li covered her burning cheeks and shrieked, "What are you talking about? There is nothing between me and Big Cat! Recently, Grandpa Yao has been staying in the Blue Sky Market, and I certainly seized the opportunity to learn the knowledge of refining from him. As it happened, Big Cat was training with Grandpa Yao too. So, the two of us chatted when we were free! I don't like him… No, it's not like I don't like him. He is still a nice friend except that he may look taciturn. At the very least, he is ten thousand times better than the philandering Han Te! But, aya, his hairy appearance! All in all, he and I are not in that kind of relationship at all. Also, why are you asking about this, Master Fist King? This is truly meaningless!"
"I have two reasons."
The Fist King completely disregarded the girl's embarrassment and extended his two iron fingers. "Firstly, I reached a deal with Li Yao. As long as I keep you and Han Te safe, he will do everything possible to help me upgrade or even grow into the strongest being in the universe.
"Up until so far, the deal has turned out to be rather good. I have benefited a lot from it. Also, I have seen Li Yao's real capabilities, and I believe he can still provide tremendous resources for me in the future.
"I see no reason to cut the deal. So, I have to keep you and Han Te safe.
"Han Te is now training with Boss Bai and growing by a thousand miles a day. He can at least protect himself right now. Also, the guy has absolutely no sense of shame. On the psychological level, he is an unkillable cockroach. So, I do not need to worry that he may suffer great damage physically or mentally for now.
"Miss Liu Li, however, is different. You are not a battle-type trainer, and your mind is much more feeble than his. Now, my test result shows that you are in a protracted trauma. As per the agreement I have reached with Li Yao, I have to cure and protect your mind, preventing it from being bothered and hurt again.
"Secondly, and more importantly, you are already my personal assistant for maintenance and upgrade. It is not exactly a highly-technical job, but it requires a 100% understanding of my body and my data pattern. In other words, we must have absolute trust with each other.
"It is difficult to raise someone suitable for the job. Considering that your performance has been generally satisfactory so far, I do not want to waste my time on grooming a new one. Do you understand? You are irreplaceable.
"With that in mind, I hope that you can be 100% devoted. You must not affect the critical work or undermine my combat ability because of your psychological issues. Even if my combat ability is only diminished by 1% because of your unsteady performance, it may result in catastrophic ramifications. Do you understand?"
Liu Li was rather stunned. Looking at the breadboard of chips inside the Fist King's opened skull that had been burnt up because of her mistake, Liu Li lowered her head and said in a low voice, her cheeks even redder, "Got it. Master Fist King, I'm sorry. It was all my fault."
"It's not your fault, just your body malfunctioning. A malfunction caused by the irregular secretion of the hormones inside your body."
The Fist King said comfortingly, "All high-precision creatures and machines may malfunction. Even I can malfunction too. Malfunctioning is not scary. Don't cover them, don't evade them, but face, analyze, and fix them rationally and calmly. Then, which one do you prefer, Han Te or Li Jialing?"
"Why are we still discussing that?"
Biting her lips softly, Liu Li subconsciously drew on the floor with the tip of her foot. Thinking for a long time, she finally replied, rather embarrassedly, "I-I don't like either of them. I feel that Han Te is too passionate and arrogant, and Big Cat is too cold and proud. All in all, I think that neither of them has learned to control their feelings. That is… That is, they are still too immature!"
"Okay."
The Fist King said, "You are fond of mature men, like?"
"Like…"
Liu Li was even more embarrassed. She lowered her head and said, "Someone whom I can absolutely trust and who will always protect me, like Grandpa Yao."
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
The Fist King's crystal processor that was exposed to the outside had huge noises, with smoke popping up.
"Huh?"
Liu Li bulged her eyes. "What are you doing, Master Fist King? Why did you suddenly consume so much computational ability? What complicated problem were you calculating?"
"I'm calculating the possibility of inviting Li Yao to come and exchange genetic information with you as well as the danger coefficient."
The Fist King was silent for a long time before he said, "I'm sorry. I don't think that my combat ability is higher than Li Yao's, and it's difficult for me to capture him here. Also, I was told that his wife is known as the best expert at the edge of the cosmos. If I really do that, I'm afraid that I would place you in great danger, which is against my purpose to keep you safe. So, is there a second candidate that can restore the tranquility of your mind?"
"Aya! Aya! Aya!"
Liu Li stomped on the ground angrily. "What were you thinking, Master Fist King? That was only an example that I made with someone that we were both familiar with. It's not like I would like anyone as mature as Grandpa Yao. He should also be tall, strong, handsome, and sunny!"
"Okay…"
The Fist King pondered for 0.1 seconds and nodded his head. "In that case, Li Yao is truly not a suitable candidate."
"Master Fist King—"
Liu Li tried to hold it back but failed. "Since you asked such embarrassing questions, it makes me wonder, are you ever in love with anyone?"
"Yes, and no."
The Fist King said, "I've never experienced it in person, but I just downloaded a lot of literary works on love as well as the relevant biophysical and psychological researches. All the data have been read. I certainly have abundant theoretical experience. So, trust me, Miss Liu Li, I will definitely cure your trauma and let you be devoted to your work again."
"What are you talking about? Love does not need theories. It needs practice. Practice!"
Liu Li and the Fist King had been together for almost a year, and she gradually became bold in front of the cold machine. "All in all, there is no need for you to worry about me, Master Fist King. I am certainly not one of those fragile, emotional girls. I grew up on the dangerous Land of Sins too!
"I'm just like the Gold Barley on the Land of Sins, which seems small and insignificant but is actually strong and highly resistant to wind and coldness. Hahahaha!
"It's not like I need a man to live on. I can live perfectly well, carry out my dream, and enjoy my little, happy life even without a man!
"I can treat my wounds and face everything by myself. Just let 'Lord Han Te' go to hell!
"Besides… Besides, there's still Master Fist King. Master Fist King will always protect me, right?"
The little girl's face was as unpredictable as the weather in June. She was embarrassed and infuriated a moment ago, and yet she was now refreshed and leaning to the Fist King in a smile.
"That's not right."
The Fist King, however, ignored the girl's smile heartlessly. "First of all, my protection for you is based on my deal with Li Yao. Of course, if you keep making progress in your maintenance skills, proving yourself to be a great help during my maintenance and upgrade, then I will continue to protect you for my own survival even if the deal is canceled.
"But on the other hand, even if I want to protect you all the time, I fear that I cannot 'always' do so. The day will come that I am destroyed.
"So, I cannot protect you forever in any case. The best I can do is to protect you until the moment of my destruction. Please understand, Miss Liu Li."
"… Has anybody told you that you have a weird way of talking, Master Fist King?"
Liu Li frowned. "Also, why do you sound normal when you speak to other people but so weird when you are talking to me?"
"Because this is the real me?"
The Fist King said, "I talk to other people with a simulated language logic, but doing so for a long time will result in data overflow and system redundancies that need regular cleaning. Since nobody else is here, I prefer the concise and accurate way of expressing myself."
"How quirky. I haven't met many spectral Cultivators, but Master Fist King is certainly the quirkiest of them all."
Liu Li rubbed her nose and scanned the Fist King's crystal processor carefully again. "It seems that a 'Light Arrow – IV' chip has been burnt. I'll find a new one."
Liu Li hopped out of the maintenance workshop and was going to the storage room of crystal chips when she was taken aback by the person outside the door.
"Han Te?"
Liu Li's smile was immediately pulled down into a frown. She asked, "What are you doing here? You don't need to ingratiate yourself with your big sisters?"
"I'm sorry, Liu Li, I was wrong."
The moment he saw Liu Li was out, Han Te immediately bowed ninety degrees at Liu Li and said sincerely, "I've thought about it for a long time. I have been too absurd, shameless, and hilarious in the past half a year. I have no idea how I turned into this. Perhaps it is because the world outside is too splendid, and our hometown was too monotonous. All in all, I'm not looking for an excuse for myself, and I only want to apologize to you sincerely.
"I'm sorry, Liu Li. Will you forgive me?"
"Well…"
Stunned, Liu Li was lost for a while.
It had been forever since she last saw Han Te so solemn with such pure eyes, which reminded her of the difficult but simple life on the Land of Sins.
In a trance, she was about to accept his apology when she vaguely felt that something was off. Staring at "Han Te" for a long time, Liu Li summoned her courage, extended her finger, and jabbed the forehead of "Han Te".
Her finger entered into the forehead of "Han Te" more than easily, and she did not feel coldness and hardness until her fist knuckle was submerged.
Without any question, it was not a real human being, but a puppet that had been fabricated into the appearance of Han Te with light and shadow.
"Ah!"
Liu Li backed off and screamed.
"What's up?"
The iron puppet immediately retreated the camouflage, turning from "Han Te" into a bald and cold look. Somewhat at a loss, it let out the Fist King's voice. "Is there a problem?"
"Is… Is there a problem?"
Liu Li was almost crying. Pointing at the Fist King, she asked, her voice shivering, "Was it you who did it, Master Fist King?"
"Yes."
The Fist King said in a dull voice, "I thought that it would cure you and make you happy. Or was I wrong to have chosen the skin of 'Han Te'? Would it have been better to use Li Jialing or another… mature man who is tall, strong, handsome, and sunny?"
Chapter 2497: Hot Machines |
Liu Li was stunned for a long time and finally collapsed. Angrily, she drew a wrench from her pocket and hit the Fist King's head. She shouted and hit, hit and cried, and cried and shouted.
"It seems that I've truly made a mistake."
The Fist King controlled the iron puppet to sit down. While Liu Li relentlessly hit him, he held his chin and fell into deep thought. "Let's not be devoted to hitting just yet. Can you tell me what I did wrong? I can write the error in my log, and I guarantee that it will not happen again."
"Who… Who asked you to apologize to me in the appearance of Han Te?"
Clinging to the giant wrench, Liu Li sobbed and said, "Is Han Te's apology so precious? When I said I'm fine, I'm fine! Nobody asked you to treat my wounds for me! Besides, it's not the real Han Te. It's all fake! Everything is fake!"
"I knew that it was a bit too unconvincing."
The Fist King said solemnly, "It can't be helped. There are only limited resources in the Blue Sky Market, and it's impossible to create a 100% simulated puppet. However, I promise you that as long as you work hard for me, I will gather the most expensive materials in the Imperium and build a vivid puppet for you that will be covered in the softest silica gel and embedded with the tiniest sensors. Its specifications will be absolutely the same as the real Han Te's.
"Not just Han Te, if you want Li Jialing or anybody else, I can help you make all of them for you. Even ten will not be a problem. They will be around you all day and cater to you like you are the queen of the Imperium. I'm sure you will be happy, right?"
"Happy my a*s!"
Liu Li was so exasperated that she completely forgot that she was faced with the tough Fist King. Weeping hard, she continued hitting him with the wrench. "Who wants those puppets? Fake is always fake. However vivid it is, they can't be real! Who wants them?!"
"Is… that so?"
All the indicators on the Fist King dimmed as he mumbled, "Fake is always fake, and fake can't turn real… So, that was my mistake."
The puppet's shoulders gradually lowered, as if the vigor was leaking from invisible gaps.
"M-Master Fist King?"
As if waking up from a dream, Liu Li finally realized what she had done. She was bold enough to attack Master Fist King, the most ferocious dominator of the Land of Sins. She was truly out of her mind!
Liu Li immediately panicked. She was wondering what she should do when she noticed that all the puppets in the workshop dimmed and slowed, as if the Fist King had suffered a major mental blow.
Liu Li had never seen the Fist King like this before. Overwhelmed, she went back to the room and shouted, "What's wrong, Master Fist King? Are you alright? I-I'm sorry. I was too excited and said things I shouldn't have said. I was also insane enough to hit you with a wrench. I probably really need a rest!"
"That's alright. If you feel uncomfortable, just go and take a rest."
Controlling a new clone to raise its head, the Fist King said casually and paused for a moment. Then, he said again, "So, you are not fond of fake things, are you?"
"Of course not."
Liu Li said matter-of-factly, "Is there anybody who likes fake things? But what's wrong about that? I still don't understand. Why is Master Fist King suddenly so down? Can you tell me? Didn't you say that malfunction must be analyzed and faced bravely when it occurred? I think that it is not me who's malfunctioning, but you!"
"Probably. This is strange. After I met Li Yao and you, my abilities have improved a lot, but the malfunction rate is also higher and higher. Sometimes, the most bizarre malfunctions are happening, ones that I never encountered before."
The Fist King lowered his head and looked at his hands that were lackluster due to the unremoved rust. "You're right. Nobody likes fake things, and fake can never turn real. But what if I am a fake thing? I am… not a real human being?"
"Is that a big deal?"
Amused, Liu Li waved her hands and said, "Everybody knows that. You are a ghost. It's no biggie. There's no need to worry about it at all!"
The Fist King said, "You're not scared of ghosts?"
"What's scary about ghosts?"
Liu Li's tears turned into a smile. "On the Land of Sins, the most horrible things were all done by people. Ghosts never harmed anyone. It is needless to say that Master Fist King is such a great ghost with a strong sense of justice!"
The Fist King hesitated for a moment and asked again, "But what if I am neither a human nor a ghost?"
"Huh?"
Liu Li bulged her big round eyes. "Neither a human nor a ghost? Then what are you?"
"A machine."
The Fist King's voice was mixed with vague sorrow. "A cold machine."
Liu Li asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
The Fist King said, "Literally what it means. If I am just a cold machine, will it affect our affiliation or your devotion and efficiency in your work?"
"Well…"
Liu Li scratched her head with the big wrench, accidentally smearing the oil and dirt on her hair. "Master Fist King, you always talk about the stuff that other people can't understand. I haven't read many books, and I grew up in an isolated environment. I don't know humans, ghosts, machines, or any of that, but I can tell who is nice to me and who is not! Since Master Fist King will always protect me—"
"Not always—"
The Fist King corrected Liu Li again. "But until the moment of my destruct—"
"Aya!"
This time, Liu Li interrupted him impolitely. "That's just a rhetorical device. You don't have to be so pedantic. Anyway, since Master Fist King will always protect me, I will certainly work hard with a high efficiency every day!
"Also, hehe, allow me to point out a minor mistake of yours. Machines are not necessarily 'cold'. Just feel your skull. How about it? Isn't it burningly hot inside? The chips inside are almost on fire. How are you cold?
