Cat and Rose - Cat & Rose - Chapter 34 - The Second Law of Thermodynamics (3)

Chapter 34 – The Second Law of Thermodynamics (3)

When that short, leisurely period passed, everyone became busy again.

Su Ting rested for three days, then met up with Lin Si.

Regarding the virus leakage incident, they recounted and compared what they knew according to the flow of events, but they still did not have any leads.

Lin Si could confirm that the laboratory operated as normal without any oddities, but he also confirmed that Ye Selin was the very first person to be infected.

Ye Selin did not travel to any places where she could have been infected with the virus—except for the Wilkins Laboratory. Apart from someone from the laboratory intentionally infecting her, there was no other explanation for this incident.

And that day, Ye Selin had truly been in contact with Lin Si only, which was why the woman from Area 9 was so adamant about Lin Si being the murderer behind the scenes.

“What other possibilities are there?” Su Ting frowned. “Was it really the laboratory’s problem then?”

This was the only possible explanation. In a certain area of the laboratory, the virus had leaked out, and Ye Selin brought it to the Voyager.

“If it’s as such, it could only be another person from the laboratory who planted the virus precisely onto Ye Selin without me knowing,” Lin Si squinted, “because I was not infected.”

“According to the madam from Area 9, you had already found the way to combat the third-generation virus, so you were sure you wouldn’t be infected.” Su Ting drew on a piece of paper to organise her thoughts. “Look, shixiong, these things all point towards one explanation—that you were the mastermind behind everything.”

“Yes,” said Lin Si.

“If we use the approach of ‘malice’ to speculate, there are two possibilities. The first possibility is someone wanted to target you, but you are still standing here right now. The second possibility is someone else from the laboratory wanted to board the ship, so they planned everything, then made you into a scapegoat.”

“Everyone in the laboratory chose to sleep in the end, and moreover, Adelaide already gave them psychological evaluation and proved that they had extreme psychological trauma,” Lin Si said his thoughts on the hypothesis. “Very few people are able to deceive Adelaide. I believe no one from the laboratory has the potential to be the mastermind.”

“Certainly,” Su Ting nodded with her eyebrows tightly knitted together. “Furthermore, if someone really did that, they first needed to know you would be able to overcome the virus in a very short amount of time, or at least before the Voyagers all died out. But who would have this kind of guarantee?”

They both arrived at a dead end, where neither explanation could be fully made sense.

That virus had appeared out of thin air like a ghost, leaving no traces behind.

“It’s not right, shixiong, there must be a different angle.” Su Ting breathed deeply several times, and pulled at the strands of her hair. This was a tick she always had whenever she was in deep thought.

Lin Si looked at her, also recalling his memories.

What other parts seemed wrong?

They were silent for a long, long time.

Suddenly, in an instant, their gazes met.

“Shixiong…” Su Ting looked at Lin Si, and saw his gaze appear especially cold, as if it had frosted over.

Lin Si looked at her, and saw that in her eyes there was fear that was gradually enlarging.

“I thought of a problem,” muttered Su Ting.

“Me too,” said Lin Si. “If Ye Selin had boarded the ship with you, why didn’t you get infected?”

“Then that means, Ye Selin was infected after I was frozen.” Su Ting turned rigid, then slowly observed her surroundings, as if that ghost was lurking somewhere not far from them right now.

The mechanical walls were a cold platinum silver, fully covered with a pattern of grey markings. Within the open space of the room, echoes emitted like a warlock’s murmur.

“So the person who leaked the virus is still on this ship,” said Lin Si.

“Who is it?”

“It’s possible for them to be anyone who’s still alive.”

“But what’s their aim?” Su Ting clawed at her hair. “What could their motive be? Ye Selin had no enemies, not even one.”

“The past five years I was awake, there were a few spaceship incidents that were suspected to be a human effort. Marshal insisted that the spaceship had one or a few terrorists who held hatred towards the Voyagers, and thus attempted to destroy the ship,” Lin Si said flatly. “Of course, he believed it was most likely me.”

Su Ting shook her head helplessly. “Shixiong, you sure have taken a lot of blame.”

“He targets me so much, sometimes I even feel it’s intentional.” Lin Si stood up, smoothing out his clothes. “We could hint at the entire spaceship that he’s suspecting me, and use that opportunity to lower that person’s guard so they give themselves away. It’s not unfeasible.”

“But that person didn’t leave any traces after so many times, which shows they’re not a careless person. This kind of trickery is too childish. That’s why no matter what, I still think there’s something wrong with the Marshal’s brain.”

Since she was not infected, Lin Si was completely out of suspicion. Hence, Su Ting was finally able to put down her concerns, lightly breathing out a puff of air. “So, that person had committed various acts targeting the Voyagers, using you as a shield… then we shall wait for his next move.”

Lin Si nodded, even though he knew this chance was very slim—three whole years had passed without anything happening on the ship. Furthermore, under strict security, almost nobody would be able to do harm.

After this, Su Ting’s condition improved significantly, and she began to work on the programme with Lin Si in Area 5. The Skeleton’s training hall was right next to them, which was where Ling Yi was training—so the three were often together during break time, and occasionally with Zheng Shu and the Colonel too.

It was supposedly break time, but in reality it was a way to switch their brain’s channels.

Ling Yi was doing some Fourier transform questions, his face wearing an expression like life had become meaningless to him.12 Lin Si was reading documents, Zheng Shu was illustrating circuit diagrams, and Su Ting was gently teaching Ling Yi how to answer the questions.

Only the Colonel looked out of place playing the Snake game.

Zheng Shu could not watch on, so he retrieved a video game disc he prepared when he started taking care of Tang Ning, but was stored away because Tang Ning had no interest in them. He handed it to the Colonel.

Thus, the Colonel discovered a whole new world. He no longer had to eat his own snake’s tail every day, and began his addiction with Assassin’s Creed. When bored, other people would sometimes crowd around his screen—it was quite interesting to watch.

Ling Yi also wanted to play, but Lin Si did not let him.

At this moment, Lin Si sat in between the Colonel and Ling Yi, unbothered. When the Colonel looked lost, he directed him on how to finish the mission even more effectively, it was evident this was not the first time he touched this game.

Ling Yi was angry, he wanted to bite him.

“Wait until you’re a bit older.” Su Ting poured herself a cup of water and consoled him gently. “All parents are like that. If Ye Selin and Mr Ling were here, they would be strict on you too.”

“Until when?” asked Ling Yi.

“Until you’re an adult,” Lin Si said mildly. “My guardianship will expire by then.”

His guardianship will expire! What did that mean?

Ling Yi was immediately alarmed.

He no longer cared that Lin Si did not let him play the game, frowning. “You’re not keeping me anymore?” 13

“Hm…let me think,” Lin Si said slowly. “I started taking care of myself when I was fifteen.”

“Lingling, I’ll arrange it for you. Let’s go back to Area 3, don’t go with him.” The Colonel spared no effort to cause trouble.

“Then I can’t live with you anymore?” Ling Yi looked at Lin Si.

“By the time you’re eighteen, you can apply for your own room. So theoretically, you don’t have to live with me anymore.” Lin Si crossed his arms, his mouth upturned in a small smile. “But you still have the right to choose to sleep in any room.”

Ling Yi pondered. “Then I won’t apply.”

“It’s better if you do,” said Lin Si. “When we’re mad at each other, will you sleep in the corridor?”

“Then I’ll sleep…” Ling Yi swiftly thought of anyone he could share a room with. The Colonel was a no—he was too blocky. Tang Ning was also a no—he had heard from others that he would rap against his keyboard until morning every single day. Svena or Su Ting? But it seemed like he could not sleep together with girls.

He realised he indeed had nowhere to go.

Lin Si let out a laugh, and tilted his face up.

In the past three years, Ling Yi did not actually spend a lot of time following him around, if he counted precisely. After the base was constructed, the majority of Area 3 were moved to the ground, along with the two hundred people of “limitless”, hence there were times when Ling Yi was only able to come back every two or three months.

Every time he came back to stay with Lin Si, he would be alright at first, but later he would turn more and more childish, then he would leave, grow a bit, then come back again…

Of course, he left unwillingly every single time.

Time had passed quickly. Just like that, three years had flown by.

“You’ve grown,” he said quietly, “…baby.”

Ling Yi’s heart skipped a beat.

Many people would call him “baby” or “darling”, but Lin Si rarely did.

But every time Lin Si called him that, the feeling he got would be especially intense.

It was the kind of feeling where he wanted to always be in Lin Si’s heart, always be doted on by him, never grow up, and all would be well.

He nuzzled Lin Si’s hand.

Lin Si said calmly, “I won’t take care of you anymore in the future, but are you still willing to play with me?”

“I’m willing.” Ling Yi’s eyes downcasted. “Do you still also want to play with me?”

Lin Si bumped his forehead against his. “Then you can continue to…hm, borrow my place.”

“Then what do I do if you bully me?”

“That’s why you should apply to Area 3 for your own room, so if I bully you, you can run back there and wait for me to come pamper you,” said Lin Si.

Ling Yi blinked. “Then if I bully you?”

“You?” Lin Si measured him with his eyes. “You think it’s possible?”

Ling Yi huffed.

He could not right now, but when he grew bigger, perhaps he would be able to!

And so he stated boldly with conviction, “But what if?”

Lin Si drew an ‘X’ shape. “Dissection.”

Ling Yi’s fire was immediately extinguished.

They bantered noisily for another while, then Ling Yi parted with Lin Si when break time ended.

Lin Si looked at Ling Yi’s figure, his arms crossed together.

Children, when grown up, must slowly depart and build their own life. He had known this from early on, and logically, should have accepted from early on as well.

But the strange thing was that, when he truly came face to face with that moment, he still wanted him to stay one more day.

The busy days passed very swiftly; in the blink of an eye it had been over twenty days.

With Su Ting’s involvement, the microchip’s progress quickened significantly. This time, when Lin Si sent the progress report to the Marshal, he received a sudden reply: “Come to me for a bit.”

Three-dimensional video calls could be done anytime on the ship. Unless it was a matter of extreme importance, people would not choose to meet face-to-face.

Lin Si thought it was most likely the thing Madam Chen had mentioned, and left for Area 3.

The Marshal still appeared as dignified as before. To an extent, judging someone by their appearance was feasible, as anyone who looked at his strong, bulky figure, stern expression, iron-grey beard and wiry hair would think of descriptions such as “uncompromising”, “autocratic”, or “going his own way”.

“I have something to inform you.” The Marshal went straight to business.

“Please say,” said Lin Si.

“I request you to add a function to the product of the microchip programme.”

This was different from what Lin Si had predicted.

“I’ve seen the effects of the Skeletons, very useful. After attaching weapons, a single soldier’s power is on par with a top-level combat ship. Your genetically-modified bodies are also very impressive.”

Lin Si narrowed his eyes—the Marshal had never praised him before.

In the next instant, the Marshal’s words changed direction abruptly, “But at the same time, their danger level is also very high. Area 3 must formulate appropriate measures to prevent them from abusing their strong military prowess.”

Lin Si said, “What do you plan to do?”

The Marshal looked directly into Lin Si’s eyes. “I know you planted a forced self-destruction system in the programmes of those high-level artificial intelligence just in case. I plan for microchips to also have the same function. In the event someone expresses dangerous thoughts, the chip will activate that function—for example, releasing a strong electric current, or another method, as long as it can quickly kill them.”

Almost at the exact moment his voice began to fade, Lin Si said coldly, “Impossible.”

“I know you can do it.” Marshal’s gaze was piercing cold with intense oppressiveness. “This is only a small function.”

“We can do it, but I will not do it,” Lin Si looked directly at Marshal Süss without any expression. “Yes, they have genetically-modified bodies. But they are people first and foremost.” 14

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The author has something to say:

Yesterday this went onto the ranking, so I suddenly got many new reader babies, I’m happy to get to know you all ww~

There are two completed novels in my column. Even though they aren’t flawless, you can still read them~

I update at 6am every morning, if there is no update then maybe last night I forgot to save my draft and set the publishing time again and again and again and again, i’m that stupid (:3J∠)

Lastly, today I kept writing and writing so it became longer, praise me praise me =w=

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