Chapter 1815: with translation of chapter title

NO. 430：It's totally normal for newbies to want to understand the big shots.

At dusk.

The stars, artificially interfered with to simulate the sun's trajectory, presented the residents of Heaven's Gate City with a sunset-like scenery.

Some people get off work, like those colleagues in small groups.

Some people also start work, like the newcomer who just arrived in the digital world, who must be guided by the Witch Beast and then be met by the responding transmigrator youth.

Naturally, some people also work overtime.

For example, those invited by coworkers to a team-building dinner, yet actually still maintaining threefold focus: they must face the present, keep up with online surfing, and also keep the puppet active to solidify their infiltrated identity.

At the same time, they must also monitor the puppet's condition.

This naturally refers to Puppet MKII, also called Star-Eater Zero.

Indeed, constructing a body with the evolution-symbolizing Evolu/Abelon cells is already a masterpiece; strengthening it by injecting electrical energy can indirectly boost its load capacity for the Star-Eater Ghidorah information fragments, thereby delaying the body's outward aberration and extending the shell's lifespan.

However, the essence of this path is seeking balance under two energies—if electrical energy is overfilled, it will directly manifest the characteristics, even the full form, of the Abelon monster; whereas if the Star-Eater Ghidorah information fragments are overplayed, the body will also collapse in aberration.

This is literally walking a tightrope, pursuing an ultimate balance that ordinary people could never achieve.

On one hand, increasing electrical energy boosts the puppet's quality.

On the other hand, repeatedly stimulating the body's Star-Eater Ghidorah information with Ghidorah cards, relying on that abnormal monster factor to influence and reshape the body while suppressing the activity of the Abelon cells' own factors.

Using poison to counter poison, treating oneself as the battlefield of two mutually invading armies—once one realizes this, perhaps one would feel that every second of Puppet MKII's existence could be considered a miracle.

But this is essentially a human-made feat, and also the inevitable result of the astonishing computational power of the mechanical beasts held by Aomo Lindun combined with the convenience of Puppet MKII as a puppet (fearing neither damage nor abnormality, and being able to fully bear the demon's abnormal will).

However, more important than this achievement is the information that 'Star-Eater Zero carries the Star-Eater's information fragments,' which throughout the entire cult is known to only a handful of people.

Furthermore, since this is merely the early stage of the trial, lacking sufficient sample references, even the priest who performed the implantation surgery did not realize this.

This is what gave him the precondition to dare act so recklessly.

No one thinks it's strange that Star-Eater Zero can still function normally. Even the ill-intentioned chief priest, who merely wanted to silently kill the sole newcomer added during this sensitive period, seems to be preoccupied with something.

This is something the demon inferred by finding his own frequency through the priest who performed his surgery and the content of their discussions.

If the chief priest really inquired about one's recent situation, the priest's casual chat wouldn't just be about how one's body is, whether one adapts to the environment, or whether one has decided which department to join and then get a recommendation for a friend-managed executive department—these are all too ordinary, too normal, too taken for granted.

A priest eager to clarify the subsequent reactions of the ritual surgery he conducted.

A scoundrel who wants to trick a young person with a worrying lifespan into his friend's department early to create value.

A subordinate who tries to present a decent response when questioned by the high priest, thus often coming over to ask this and that—

—these are all that man's image in Star-Eater Zero's eyes, regardless of good or evil; looking only at the change itself, the demon believes the puppet's current situation is still safe, but absolutely not long-lasting.

After all, Abelon cells are not truly an evolutionary line.

Relying solely on electrical energy to strengthen oneself to saw and balance with Star-Eater Ghidorah, and using mutual suppression to maintain form without mutation, is visibly not long-lasting.

But if one says to temporarily find another method to cope, Aomo again feels it somewhat impractical.

After all, he is not a true researcher.

The study of the Star-Eater is that priest's domain; deciphering the nature of Abelon cells is the achievement of Xiao Qian and Suzi; he is merely a user who looks only at results, not the process.

Being able to think of using Abelon cells to resist Ghidorah information, and tangible matter to resist intangible information, is already quite an idea; success is further thanks to countless monster fusions that have given him deep experience and understanding in the field of energy manipulation.

If exploring in another direction were tantamount to starting from zero, the cost would be enough to make me, who practices his preaching to Bi Ze, just flee directly!

This is enough to make Aomo become an evader like Bi Ze, evading an endless, uncertain track whose endpoint is unknown and may not suit his wishes.

Rather than seeking other ways to preserve this puppet, it's better to accept the fact that this puppet's days are numbered and seize every minute and second to create profit.

That is, 'smash the pot and smash the sink'—i. e., give up completely.

Continue investigating; as long as the body can ensure present stability, the distant future—whatever it may be—can be discussed later!

And when it comes to investigation, he here actually has a very clear 'track' direction.

That is the high priest's whereabouts.

Yes, even if the current investigative activities also owe a bit to the fortune of 'the high priest seems busy with something else and cannot get away,' he doesn't intend to quit while ahead.

Rather, the fact that the high priest has not issued any further orders to him himself is already a very conspicuous intelligence-gathering opening.

What is she busy with? Able to be so busy that she has no time to manage the current status of the characters she has ordered to target.

As the saying goes, what the enemy hopes for is what we must firmly oppose; what the enemy wants is what we must destroy—if we could clarify what the cult leader is busy handling, that would certainly become an excellent bargaining chip in a standoff.

Very dangerous?

Exposure risk is very high?

Start with a simple side-line investigation?

In the game Earth OL, when time is tight, everyone has another set of game understandings.

Moreover, the basic data he had already checked out a few days ago.

How many departments, how many members, what call signs they use, roughly what they're busy with... Through the cult's internal pathological mutual opposition yet unanimous outward recommendation state, investigating these for Star-Eater Zero is as easy as conducting a census in a rural village.

—The neighbors are all talkative; any trivial matter can be chatted about for a few sentences.

Moreover, it can always extend onto other people.

The only thing not very rural is the constant desire to trick you into helping them work.

And……

Some people's tempers are truly foul.

First, they have endless things to do; second, when they're busy, if you try to strike up a conversation you'll get snapped at, saying a few more words will get you shoved, and if you don't leave you'll witness their monster transformation.

... You can't say this place isn't rural, but the rural quality of Jiemen District is quite high; even the parents of Meipu Bourbon are both rural farming families, it's just that the father got a training position in the city.

Later, he also brought his pregnant wife back to his hometown to take care of her, giving Bourbon's character a touch of rural innocence and simplicity.

In many places, the countryside tends to see young people flee outward, only considering a return in old age; however, Jiemen District, relying on certain policy support, has achieved the opposite effect—aspiring youths are more eager to go to the countryside to start businesses.

This very situation also leaves Aomo with an impression of the countryside that is not bad.

When controlling the puppet to act within the cult, there is also a sensation reminiscent of his teenage self going to the countryside to investigate for summer homework.

Likewise, as an outsider who won't be staying long in this "village," he also clearly realizes that his progress toward the goal of "integrating into the local community" is worrisome.

Even a 30% success rate counts as victory, so the focus of the investigation shouldn't be placed here.

But fortunately, when Aomo was investigating the high priest's recent situation at great risk, he also took into account the difficulty of the investigation—

—because the high priest's noble status makes him a benchmark for strength even in the Beast Sect, an organization that ranks members by strength.

Thus, the obstinate belief that "someone will always imitate and follow whatever the strong do" also manifests here.

And thus, the investigation activities of Shi Xing Ling appear so normal, so ordinary, completely in line with the common sense accepted by fellow believers and colleagues.

(End of chapter)