Chapter 951: The Eighth Day Departure (27)

"No, it's still a bit short."

"In the darkness, Hei Ta's voice was unusually clear."

"The space station's lights went out one by one, the corridor was empty, and the clerks who usually hurried about had all boarded the evacuation ships, leaving the place in orderly fashion."

"Ai Si Da stood before the hatch and took one last look back at the space station."

"There was not a speck of light here; even the simulated universe had been shut down. Hei Ta's automata lined up in the room as if awaiting a command."

"\"Indeed, this is merely a tiny ripple no one will know about... and you must understand that for a genius, the importance of asking a question can even surpass that of answering. \""

"\"The so‑called magic also has its principles; there are no unsolvable problems in the world. \""

"In the room, countless mirrors unfolded simultaneously."

"On the walls, ceiling, and floor—each mirror reflected the same figure: a woman whose face was indistinct, wearing a mage's hood. As the mirrors began to spin at high speed, the space station fell into complete silence."

"As the office door of Hei Ta hissed with electric sparks, the automata inside seemed to lose their connections, toppling one after another like dominoes."

"And that purple silhouette finally lifted its head."

"The shadow of the brim fell from her face, revealing a flawlessly delicate young woman's visage. She clutched a massive key, bathed in crimson light, and even her violet eyes seemed shrouded in an enchanting hue."

"... that was the brilliance of Insight."

"The girl extended her hand, her pale fingertips pausing briefly in the air."

"\"Omniscient existence, I ask you—\""

"\"What is divinity? \""

"——"

"Chainsaw Man."

"Hei Ta."

"Hei Ta of the Genius Club."

"Undoubtedly, that is the true self."

"Dian Ci's mouth opened so wide it seemed it could swallow the apple in his hand; the sudden impact of beauty left him stunned, unaware that the apple had fallen to the ground."

"Cute."

"Cute in the absolute sense—those aloof brows and eyes, the skin imagined to be pale beneath the red glow, hair flowing freely, simply—"

"\"So cute—!! \""

"He sprang up from the sofa, both hands braced on the table, his head yearning to reach up into the sky of the dome."

"By contrast, Pa Wa's expression remained composed; she tilted her head, staring at the face in the dome, unable to immediately recognize the woman, though she felt a vague familiarity. Had Dian Ci not let out a startled gasp, she would have struggled to imagine that this woman was the puppeteer behind Hei Ta's automaton."

"\"I thought she was a wrinkled old lady, so why does she always appear as an automaton when meeting people? \""

"\"Probably for convenience. I recall Hei Ta has lived through several Amber Eras; I didn't expect the true self to be so... young, \" Zao Chuan Qiu murmured."

"This further confirmed my suspicion—that the members of the Genius Club each have means to extend their lives; for geniuses at this level, lifespan is likely just a simple, meaningless string of numbers."

"Pa Wa blinked, her gaze drifting repeatedly between Hei Ta's face and her own reflection on the glass table."

"Then she slapped her thigh."

"\"I get it! \""

"\"What have you understood this time? \" Zao Chuan Qiu, seemingly accustomed to such sudden shocks at home, asked calmly."

"Pa Wa placed both hands on her hips, chin held high, wearing an expression of having glimpsed the truth of the universe."

"\"I see now, the Genius Club doesn't just demand your achievements! \" she said, pointing at the purple silhouette in the dome, \"It also demands you look good! The Genius Club... is actually an organization only those who are good-looking can join! Looks are the real entry threshold! \""

"\"Think of Ruan Mei, think of Hei Ta, that mechanical brain... \""

"\"Huh? \" Dian Ci was bewildered: \"What about the screw gnome? \""

"\"He... uh, hmm... oh! He must be the handsome guy among the Artificial Intelligences! AIs have their own standards! \" Pa Wa lowered her head, repeatedly stroking her smooth chin, admiring her reflection in the glass, \"Tsk tsk tsk, by that standard, my face would have no trouble entering the Genius Club. If the entry threshold is 100 points, my face would score at least 90."

"\"90 points? If the Pure Beauty Command lets you have that, why bother with any club? \" Dian Ci muttered irritably, his gaze sliding from her face down to her slightly raised chest, \"You cushion demon has no integrity; giving you 1 point would be generous! \""

"——"

"Fleurine's Burial."

"\"Magic... \""

"Sairei chewed over those two most familiar words of her life repeatedly; after a while, a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips."

"\"How interesting—could it be that magic, for these geniuses, is merely a part of what they call 'technology'? \""

"Sairei lowered her gaze."

"Sunlight streamed through the Continental Magic Association's windows onto the floor, long and thin, like a series of scratches."

"She extended a fingertip; translucent magical energy quivered like a flame at its tip—this is the most fundamental structure of all magic, and the lifeblood of a mage. She wondered how her equations would resolve if she explained this tiny flame using the 'science' spoken of by Hei Ta."

"Could she, based on that science, derive countless spells that never existed or were lost?"

"In an instant, Sairei's heart was lifted by a very unfamiliar feeling."

"So unfamiliar that she seemed to have not tasted it for thousands of years."

"The last time, it was probably only in the age of myths..."

"Despondent."

"But only a slight despondency."

"Yet more of it was another thing—"

"The smile at the corner of Sairei's mouth deepened."

"... that was an excitement as if her blood began to burn."

"If 'science' can analyze, deconstruct, deduce, and create magic, that would mean the magical framework set since the mythic age is merely a 'wellhead' hanging above everyone's heads, and as frogs they have not stepped out of that well for thousands of years."

"While the world outside... is infinite."

"——"

After everyone had dispersed for a while, Xing alone found Xingqiri, discovering that he was tidying up some scattered books in the party car.

He meticulously arranged each book in order of height, and soon had the books and reading materials in the party car neatly organized.