by Feng Yue
The girl’s ethereal and beautiful voice gradually grew choppy. Finally, it became hoarse and disappeared. It was as if the spirit within it had died. Neither the corpse nor skeleton of the primate demon remained.
Newton climbed up from the ground. He picked at the ashes inside his pocket. Finding a cigarette he had not finished, he grinned. Charles, his loyal dog, quickly came over to light it for him.
With half-lidded eyes, Newton inhaled happily. Looking up, he asked, “Do you all have anything else to say now that the demonstration is over?”
The room was silent. No one spoke. What had happened here tonight had destroyed their world views and faintly shaken the education and common sense they had had since young. They all doubted their own eyes now.
“What is that?” someone asked in fear. “It’s not alchemy equipment, not a musician…a pure machine can resonate with aether?”
“Yes, it’s just like the strange phenomena in a black zone,” Newton stated. “In an environment with heavy aether, pure sounds can lead to aetheric changes. The crack of lightning, the crashing of tidal waves, the eerie rumbling from deep within the earth. Humans use music notes to record these sounds because all sounds can resonate with aether.
“Unless there’s absolute silence, any noise will influence the aether. This is the aether effect. Unfortunately, the Church’s enchantment weakens the aether reaction within the white zone to the extreme. You can only observe this with your naked eye in a black zone.”
“You’re saying…you can use machines to play music notes?” someone realized and furrowed his brows. “How can you guide and control it?”
“Oh, I solved this problem two days ago while talking to my assistant.” Newton picked his nose. “That guy was boasting about how his junior can’t sense aether so he memorized all the key data and organization process of each measure. It sounds stupid, right? But then I thought that since people can control aether without relying on ‘sense,’ then why can’t machines do it? You just need to make the aether think someone’s guiding it.” He paused and cackled. “Perhaps the aether doesn’t need guidance at all. We just choose what we need from one of the various results created by the aether.”
“Why do you need electricity to power it?” someone asked. “We’ve only started using this type of energy from magnetic field cutting five years ago.”
“Only this way will maintenance be the easiest and simplest,” Newton explained lightly. “Even an idiot can use it after training. I need the lowest cost and widest application. I must guarantee that it can become a standard. With this standard I can perform the follow-up research.”
“Follow-up research?” Everyone was stunned. Why did he need follow-up research? Or did he mean that he wanted to create music scores other than this simple one? Newton just grinned at this and did not reply. Everyone’s expression in crowd changed from shock to solemnness. In the end, they pondered with grave faces.
“That’s that. I don’t have to bother anymore now that the demonstration is over. Mass production has already started and should be completed after five days. I hope the Royal Musician Division will hurry up, give the money, and take the stuff away.” With a yawn, he turned around to leave.
However, Andrew, who had closed his eyes, raised his head and said coldly, “I’m sorry but we cannot accept these results.”
Newton’s steps halted. He looked back slowly and his eyes darkened. “Mr. Andrew, you can’t back out of the deal. If you don’t give me a reason I can accept, the Royal Musician Division will never get any equipment from me again.”
All Andrew said to Newton’s anger was, “It doesn’t meet our requirements.”
“Mary’s features are above your requirements,” Newton huffed. “Its portability and concealment are flawless. What a joke! Even an aether failure like me can use it. Don’t tell me musicians can’t handle it.”
“We need alchemy equipment, not a music box.”
“Ha!” Newton snorted. “Its production cost is lower than alchemy equipment, especially after mass production. Its stability is flawless too. If they give you the same effect, why don’t you use the cheaper and better one? Even a music box is better than what you want! Tell me, are you stupid?”
“Mr. Newton, I’m sure you’re clear that I don’t want a low-grade product.” He emphasized the last two words, pausing between each word.
Taken aback, emotions flashed past Newton’s face. After a long pause, he sighed. He went up to Andrew with a smile and patted his shoulder. He said with an uncharacteristic voice, “Good boy, don’t throw a tantrum. The royal family made the request and order. Now you say you don’t want it anymore. What do you mean? Mr. Andrew, you’re not a kid anymore. Don’t throw tantrums.”
Crack! A cluster of flames suddenly shot out from Andrew’s shoulder. It slapped onto Newton’s hand, causing the fingers to spasm. Andrew slowly rose and looked down at the old man. He said coldly, “Mr. Newton, I’ve tolerated your arrogance for too long. Perhaps this is a mistake. Since when did…people like you get the right to say what goes for musicians?”
Newton looked up at him and chuckled. “You wanted to say ‘failure’ right?”
Everyone knew that Newton from the Royal Research Institute was not a musician at all. He did not even pass the Student level test. He was a failure who could not even sense aether. He had reached his current position by relying on his genius and attainment of mechanical engineering that no one could pass. This was why the Sacred City had given him the name of a saint from the dark ages.
“I want to tell you something, Mr. Andrew.” Newton gazed at the man and slowly raised his finger. “Just one thing.” He raised the black Mary before Andrew’s eyes. The sharpness reflected a dazzling and blazing light.
“One day, this ‘low-grade product’ you look down upon will rule over the trends of the era. It will bring power into everyone’s hands, regardless of talent, teacher, attainment, or status!” Andrew furrowed his brows. Newton put the cone into his hand, forcing him to hold it tightly. Newton murmured in his ear, “Feel the power, you ignorant fool!”
The veins on Andrew’s hand bulged. He gripped the cone, practically breaking it in half. He silently gazed at Newton for a long time before turning to leave.
-
After Andrew’s sudden exit, the others who came for the demonstration also bid farewell. When Charles came back with a new pack of cigarettes, he found Newton alone in the underground research lab. The poor old man sat on the cracked ground, caressing the burnt cone dazedly.
“Andrew left.” Charles tossed the cigarettes over. “You really pissed him off today.”
Flinching, Newton sneered. “I gave it to him nicely but he just wanted to show his attitude. Is he crazy?”
“People are like that. You solved something within a few days that people have to spend decades learning. Why should he like you?” Charles yanked a cone from the ground and studied the melted gears within. He suddenly asked, “But if you keep researching this…won’t it replace musicians one day?”
“Huh?” Newton was stunned. “Will it?”
Charles was stunned too. “Haven’t you thought about that?”
“Why should I? Researchers only focus on their research. What do musicians matter to me?” Newton shrugged. “Why don’t I go be the Pope if I want to think about everything? Plus…what kind of idiot thinks that I can actually come up with a follow-up?”
“Uh…huh?” Charles was practically fossilized.
“It’s already the limit of current industrialization to create something like this! I can suggest more theories but unprovable theories are all just guesses. Unless the Sacred City undoes the sixth seal, allowing each nation to receive new technology—including studies on material science and forging science—unless that happens, it’ll be forever, kid.” Newton looked down and said after thinking, “It’ll be at least six-hundred years later. My technology is six-hundred years early. If you think like that, I guess I’m pretty powe
rful!”
“But people are already scared.” Charles scratched his head. “Some people think far into the future. What if they try to kill you?”
“I’m not scared.” Newton whistled. “The royal family protects me. It’s not like there hasn’t been anyone who wanted to kill me. Why should I be scared? You should be the one getting scared. You’re my personal assistant.”
“…” Charles froze. He could not help but curse. “Why am I so unlucky to end up with a psycho like you?”
“As my assistant, you have to sacrifice something for research. It’s the best to sacrifice your youth and descendants. Now, it’s the time to sacrifice your life. Charles, don’t be a coward.”
Newton looked at him sympathetically and said comfortingly, “Everyone has to go through this. When I was young, I…haha, no, I was much better than you when I was young! All those old farts at the Institute treated me like a gem! They were scared I would just quit if I was in a bad mood. They’d give me everything I wanted. Even if I wanted to set the Institute on fire for fun, they’d pour the gasoline and lay down the lead for me, then hand me the torch. In the end, they’d clap for me!”
“…”
“They were all good people but they had bad luck and all died early.” Here, he froze. Looking down at the cigarette ash from his hands, his eyes grew sad. “To be honest, they’re probably the only ones on this world that would treat me so preciously, right? This research institute was their inheritance. This project is their unfinished research. Even that erotica novel was the coming-of-age gift they gave me. Now that I think about it, those guys left behind a lot of things. But the things that I can leave behind are getting fewer and fewer.” He sighed and fell silent.
After a pause, Charles said softly, “You kicked out all the alchemists, forcefully dragged everything on to now, ensuring that they’re unable to back out and must accept your design…it’s all because of this, right? People who have foresight will understand what it represents, old man. At that time, they’ll do everything to send you to the gallows. You’ve played all these years. Do you really want to die?”
Newton could not help but laugh. Pinching his cigarette, he shook his head. “Charles, I’ve said long ago that I’m so successful because I’m standing on a giant’s shoulder.” Newton yanked up the cone. Studying the dull gold shine, he murmured, “After all these years, the group of giants that allowed me to stand on their shoulders has died. Someone needs to complete their journey for them.”
280 Let Me Show You Something Good
It poured heavily through the late autumn night. A man wearing a black raincoat stood beside a carriage and opened the door for Andrew.
Andrew paused and nodded. “Apologies for keeping you waiting, Gavin.”
“It’s my duty, sir.” Gavin smiled.
When the door closed, the carriage charged into the rain and toward the uptown district. In the silent carriage, Andrew placed the long cone on his knee and slowly loosened his grip. He had held it too tightly. His whitened knuckles cracked like stones scraping as he opened his fist.
“You can take care of the docking work with the Research Institute,” he suddenly said. “Assemble four-hundred within nine days.”
Gavin nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Thank you.” Andrew closed his eyes. “It’s late. Let the driver take you home. I’m tired too. We can discuss the Musician Division tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” Gavin replied. He did not have any complaints.
The carriage soon stopped. After Gavin bid farewell, he left with his black umbrella. The carriage began moving forward again. Even the sound of breathing had stopped in the once again silent carriage. However, there was a pair of eyes that shone faintly like a sword.
Andrew pressed down on the cone on his knee. As if he was touching red-hot iron, his finger split open after brushing past a sharp edge. Scarlet blood oozed out and fell to the floor along the blade. The cone silently turned to powder and scattered on the ground.
“A machine that can replace musicians? What a joke…” Andrew looked up at the darkness before him and said in a low voice, “Someday, Newton, you’ll go to Hell too.”
-
The sound of the rainstorm traveled through the window. The faint whistling of wind seemed to blow past the sole lantern in the hall, dim light weakening under the rain sound. The once glamorous hall was now a blur under the light as if it was covered in dust after years of weathering.
The drenched young man entered quietly through the door but froze when he saw the old man under the light. The aging man still had a respiratory on his face. The tubes were tangled in his graying hair as if it grew naturally. The rumbling of pulmonary water accompanied the faint breathing. Hearing the footsteps, the old man raised his eyes and looked at Gavin.
Gavin’s steps paused. He said softly, “Father, I’m back.”
After a stretch of silence, a voice of disgust came from the respirator, “You know to come back? You still think I’m your father?”
Gavin hung his head. “I’m sorry, Father, the Musician Division is busy these—”
“Enough. Don’t say things that I don’t want to hear.” The man waved his hand in annoyance. “Gavin, do you still see yourself as part of this family after joining the Royal Musician Division? Don’t disappoint your mother!”
Gavin froze. His gray eyes trembled and he looked down after a long time. “Yes, Father.”
The old man huffed coldly. His expression was filled with dissatisfaction. “Deputy Head Andrew took you back today? Why didn’t you invite him to stay for dinner?”
Hesitating, Gavin replied quietly, “He said that he’s…tired today.”
Undisguised disappointment flashed past the man’s eyes. He looked away from Gavin. “Whatever. I never expected much from you. All I need is for people like you to not trouble the family.”
Gavin gripped his sleeve cuff and did not answer.
“Also.” The old man panted heavily. Rising from the wheelchair, he looked at Gavin. “About Banner…how has it been going?”
“Mr. Flynn has promised to me that Banner will have a spot three years later.”
“Three years?!” the old man exclaimed in anger. He glared at Gavin and demanded through his muddled breathing, “How many more years do you want Banner to waste? You have no space for your brother in your heart! So disappointed. Gavin, you disappoint me so much!”
He was attacked by a bout of coughs. It sounded like a steel hammer slamming down into an empty cavern. Gavin rushed over to support him but was pushed aside in annoyance.
A hand reached out from behind and pulled him away. Then the newcomer walked forward, gently pressed down on the old man’s back, and injected the cough medicine with ease. Gavin froze in his spot.
“It’s okay, Father. I can become a royal musician even without my brother’s help,” Banner comforted the old man softly. He glared at Gavin as he pushed the wheelchair. “You’ve waited for too long. You should go sleep now.”
The youth pushed the old man out of the hall. Gavin stared as their silhouettes disappeared into the distance. He reached out, wanting to say something. But after a long while, his hands fell down weakly.
Under the dim light, he sat on the dust-covered sofa and closed his eyes in fatigue. Outside the window, lightning flashed past, illuminating the rain. A robin on a withered branch looked away and flapped its wings, flying away.
-
During the same thunderstorm, a gold-haired youth returned home and took a nice bath. He sat in the basement with a towel around him. Looking at the completely different metal skeleton, he smacked his lips.
“The internal power cycle is jammed, the pressure pump is broken, eighty percent of the synthetic muscles are torn, and the aether nerves are paralyzed from the overload.” He scanned the skeleton and shook his head. “No, it’s completely broken. Yezi, you really went hard this time. Did you really fight the legendary Ripper three-hundred times?”
&nbs
p; “Pretty much.” On the other side of the worktable was Ye Qingxuan, his entire body covered with bandages and face covered with two medicine patches. He looked away. Right now, he was practically paralyzed. The slightest movement would send searing pain through his body.
For some reason though, his eyes looked different under the light. They were supposed to be pure black, but now they seemed translucent. Glancing at them was like gazing into a clear yet deep pool. They were bottomless and borderless. A vortex seemed to be hidden inside that pulled at one’s mind, making him space out involuntarily.
After checking for a while, Charles tossed his wrench down and shook his head. “Nope, can’t fix it.”
“Huh?” Ye Qingxuan froze, starting to panic. “No way.”
This steel skeleton had accompanied him through so many life-or-death experiences. Without it, Ye Qingxuan would have long been dead, thanks to his bad physical shape. Hearing Charles’s words, he suddenly felt sad. How could he do stupid things without it?
“It’s completely done for. Look at this.” Charles pointed at the core of the skeleton, showing Ye Qingxuan the hairline cracks. He knocked on it, creating a hollow echo. Ye Qingxuan furrowed his brows.
“You can hear it too, right?” Charles lifted the skeleton and shook it. Broken noises sounded. “The inside is completely broken. I can try to fix it but then it might break apart if you try to move. Well, breaking apart is the best case scenario. What if it gets stuck somewhere? Heh, you probably don’t want to find your leg stuck when trying to escape, right?”
“So what do I do now?”
“Toss it.” Charles shook his head and sighed. “In this state, it’ll be better to make a new one than fix it. After all, it’s a feat that something I made when I was fifteen can last ‘till now.”
After a pause, Ye Qingxuan reached out to caress the skeleton and sighed sadly. “I guess.”