Chapter 918: with translation of chapter title

NO. 41：Encounter

Just as a terminal without internet can still be used to play music, a network‑less obsolete computer can also be used to perform the most fundamental work of a computer.

「Calculation」

And when countless calculations are stacked together, they will become the foundational step for creating miracles.

——Large‑scale computation.

While stacking data, it also gives those data a shape; a discarded computer houses an energy lifeform without a physical body—Gridman/Gulite—allowing children, from a three‑dimensional perspective, to view the downgraded two‑dimensional.

But don't forget, this world is an electronic world.

Apart from Xintiao Qian, everyone is a two‑dimensional paper person, originally equal, but it was actually Gulite who was defeated in battle against Yalikexisi, torn apart and weakened, so in a hurry he could only hide all his information inside the body of his chosen one.

This is also why Yalikexisi once appeared in reality, while Gulite remained only inside the screen, and only by merging with his chosen Xiang Yuta could he appear.

Each time they go into battle, it seems as if the entire Cuckoo Terrace is turned into the world inside the screen.

Let Liuhua, Neihai, and including the 'New Century Middle School Students' and others, at this moment they seem no different from the three‑dimensional spectators watching the two‑dimensional characters on the screen fight.

But at the same moment, Gulite, who originally existed only inside the screen, appears among the skyscrapers of Cuckoo Terrace.

From this perspective, this JUNK computer is actually a tool for ascending dimensions.

Pulling the illusory characters that can only stay inside the screen into reality.

This is also the special quality Gulite bestowed upon this machine.

Carrying too much power that does not belong to this world, it also blurs the dimensional boundaries, and it leads Aomo to place high hopes on it, giving rise to a certain bold idea.

Although he does not fuse with a city dweller like Xiang Yuta, his own condition is actually much better than Gulite's.

He merely got a mark, and was largely excluded by this universe, that's all.

Then, first step, infiltrate the system.

Originally practiced to make the Witch Beast more convenient, the digital soul and digital password operation skills that a Digital Beast partner should possess, six intertwined black data bands rose between his fingers.

The Hei'an that seems able to absorb light is a purity attainable only by the environment in the digital world, as if reminding him that he is already in the world of data.

But when he extends such five fingers toward the lit screen, the image that easily sinks into it is giving him a reply:

Can do!

Then, second step, try to rewrite the system.

To be frank, Aomo has no hacking foundation.

He even has to hand over social engineering database management to the Witch Beast; all technical matters are outsourced, but he has made some progress in studying source energy in this regard, especially paying attention to the various strange new minor spells that arise each year from university births.

This also lets many of his source energy control techniques remain superior to his academic background.

This isn't worth boasting about; after all, if elite education is followed and children are encouraged to study this from a young age, it's quite common for source energy control skills to surpass academic qualifications.

Moreover, some parents even tamper with the soul and max out their children's crystal cores.

So‑called 'geniuses' who jump to university in their early teens appear in the news every year, and occasionally they even show up on bizarre variety programs.

Aomo naturally lacks that environment and treatment; he merely grew up in a welfare institute in the demon realm district where demons, devils, vampires and other Hei'an races are concentrated.

The ambient magic concentration is slightly higher, the partners' joking and rough‑housing ways are also a bit out of the ordinary, and the volunteer workers' spellcraft skills are also above the average level of human source energy school instructors.

Although his own talent is neither outstanding nor poor, rather mediocre, he also practices certain fields of interest more diligently than other districts.

Attempting to construct an alchemical magic armor golem requires learning to write the magical circuit of alchemical life.

Although not quite a genius, it's sufficient here.

After all, friends who know the Witch Beast all know that in the world of data, so‑called magic is actually code.

In other words, even if you don't understand code, as long as you employ magical techniques in the data world, you can achieve an effect comparable to inputting code.

But that requires continual attempts, and expanding permissions is far from easy.

The idea of connecting Gulite's transformation system to the Beta System is something a normal person couldn't even conceive.

Aomo, who stubbornly tries to give someone else an extra slot, stands in the Cuckoo Terrace junk shop inside the screen, constantly adjusting different magics, emitting sounds that are either crisp, dull, noisy, or sharp.

——And then, he finally disturbed someone.

It wasn't a possible off‑screen member of the Liuhua family, nor was it Naite and the second generation.

But rather, the neighbor inside the screen.

"What noise!!" Someone seemed to be shouting outside, the voice being interfered with by the explosion sounds here, not very clear.

"Ah, sorry sorry, I'll handle the noise right away." Aomo, who had stopped his hands, responded, preparing to raise a reinforced sound‑proof barrier.

But then he heard another deep, resonant voice say: "Sounds like it's coming from next door."

"Next door? Is it Liuhua's brother? Go check."

"Oh! I'm not supposed to keep being confined, am I?"

"I told you to go, so go! Your self‑asserted operation will of course continue to land you in confinement!!"

That extremely dissatisfied female voice left Aomo stunned, for he clearly had obtained from the second generation the fact that she was not present here.

"Really strict, Xiao Qian, I'm clearly doing this for your own good as well."

"Are you going or not?"

"Oh oh, don't push, don't push, then I'll go pay a visit——sorry sorry, excuse me."

The male voice, in the brief silence, suddenly approached the outdoors, causing Aomo, whose brows had furrowed and who had turned into a demon amidst the sudden surge of magic particles, to grasp his iron coffin and transform it into a huge sword, the blade extending outward to form muzzles on both sides.

In the direction he was aiming, there, a narrow, elongated shadow stretched in the sunlight to the shop entrance.

Accompanied by heavy footsteps and a slight metallic clink.

That figure did not walk straight to the shop entrance.

Apparently because his height made it difficult to pass straight through the shop door, he chose to bend slightly, and in Aomo's field of view a gradually expanding black silhouette appeared.

"May I ask if you can——"

When the black blue‑flame head, which had been seen countless times in the network rooms, poked out sideways from the doorway, the eyes on that head, covered as if by dark‑red lenses, also saw the muzzles each the size of two human heads.

And that demon holding the cannon muzzle.

"Er..."

Bang!

The dull explosion sound swept away the newly erected soundproof barrier, but the opponent wasn't blown away by this shot.

On the opponent's black body after some smoke cleared, their black cloak covering their body showed not a single tear, replaced instead by heavy chains far richer than in memory.

In this moment of silence, the cannon muzzle in Aomo's hand was re‑accepted by the sword blade, while the vengeful ghost's crimson lotus return‑fire light flickered above, eager to try, yet that familiar voice sounded again from far away:

"Kailifu! I think I heard something."

For a moment, Aomo did not immediately swing that sword, and the silent figure merely replied loudly to that voice:

"It's fine! Xiao Qian! I got them to stop!"

"Just dealing with scrap!"

Yàlìkèxīsī Kailifu said that, stood up straight, and left Aomo's sight.

Just as both sides had relaxed to the extreme, the voice that should have been far away suddenly became unusually clear.

"Liar, you're trying to cover for the mouse again, aren't you?"

"..." Yàlìkèxīsī remained silent, not turning to look at the black‑haired girl standing behind him to one side.

"..." Aomo also remained silent, firmly staring at the girl behind him who looked exactly like Qian, except for her black hair.

In this deathly silence, the first to break the quiet was Yàlìkèxīsī: "How could this be? I just wanted to make it more interesting—"

At the instant those words were spoken, the chains all over his body swayed up in his suddenly billowing cloak and swung straight at Aomo!

"That's all!"

At the same moment, the greatsword in Aomo's hand was swung out fiercely, and he vanished from his original spot amidst the smoke born from the collision of the red‑hot flames and the black chain mass.

"Oh wow? I didn't think he could run that fast—we need to hurry and catch him, Xiao Qian."

"Kailifu," the black‑haired girl said with a gentle smile, "lying isn't right."

"... Xiao Qian?"

Yàlìkèxīsī, whose whole body was draped in chains that suddenly began to tighten, showed no change in expression, but his voice grew strained as it came out.

This scene fell into the girl's scarlet eyes, bringing neither sorrow nor joy, only that smile still as template‑like.

"I will of course capture the virus and the mice altogether…" she placed her hand on his tall body.

Such delicate hands, yet they seemed to inflict even greater pain on him.

"But if you keep pulling these little tricks, the gods won't allow it, okay~"