Cat and Rose - Cat & Rose - Chapter 57 - When Dawn Breaks (1)

Chapter 57 – When Dawn Breaks (1)

On the Voyager, Tang Ning’s work had eased up for a good amount of time. Now that issues had appeared with Lucia, he finally had more serious work to do.

However, he could not go to the Expeditioner to investigate, and furthermore, he could not get Lucia’s core hardware for the time being either, so he could only analyse it through the voyage log. As Ling Yi had many interactions with Area 5 in the past, he knew the most important aspects to note down. His logs were very thorough, recording every error report of Lucia, allowing Tang Ning to analyse where the problem was.

He knocked on the door of Zheng Shu’s office.

“The reason is quite complicated,” said Tang Ning. “It might be related to the programme from the previous generation. I want to know the specific details of it.”

“That programme?” Zheng Shu pondered for a while, then continued. “It’s a collaborative programme with Area 6, but it was stopped later on. The structure of Lucia’s core processor is very complex, so I’ll send you the name list and documents for the programme.”

“Then can I request Area 6’s assistance?”

“Best if you don’t,” Zheng Shu said flatly. “After all, it was a banned programme.”

“My suggestion remains to directly stop using Lucia and activate Vivian. Lucia isn’t clean, even if we discover the issue with her this time, we cannot guarantee the next time,” said Tang Ning seriously.

“What Marshal meant was that there must be someone interfering with this matter, so our investigation should focus on who could have tampered with Lucia, not her technical issues,” said Zheng Shu. “Considering the Marshal’s style, Vivian most likely won’t be put to use in this generation.”

“He thinks she poses a hidden danger just because she passed the Bradrick coefficient test.” Tang Ning sounded annoyed. “Is Lucia not dangerous then?”

The oldest machine intelligence test was the Turing test. For instance, if a person spoke to a machine through a wall and could not tell whether it was a human or a machine they were conversing with, then it meant that the machine passed the Turing test and was considered to possess human intelligence. However, in the 21st century, the emerging series of algorithms founded upon Big Data made it extremely easy to pass the Turing test, hence a series of new intelligence tests were introduced, including the most widely recognised Bradrick test. It involved many aspects of machine intelligence, and was much more sophisticated and vigorous than the Turing test. If a system passed the Bradrick test, it could already be considered an intelligent individual unit. Because of this exact matter, the Vivian system had not been put into use this whole time—if the crisis situation with the Expeditioner did not occur, it could even be sealed away forever.

“There’s no meaning in talking about this anymore,” said Zheng Shu, “I’m also not too familiar with Lucia’s components. We can look at the documents for that programme together…but the key is still to obtain the hardware.”

Lucia’s core hardware could not be delivered at this moment, as they needed to wait until it was confirmed to not harbour any virus. This would depend on Area 6’s progress.

When Lin Si found Ling Yi, at the same time, the other personnel installed the memory unit of the Vivian system on the spaceship’s control port. She swiftly took control of the spaceship, and a sweet voice rang out. “Vivian will provide you with all kinds of help.”

“Report the situation in the freezing cabins,” Lin Si said while searching up Ling Yi’s condition.

“Total people in freezing cabins, 286. Living, 207. Dead, 79. Critical condition, 103. Two unknown organisms, condition unknown.”

“Thanks,” said Lin Si, “I need a medical robot to transport him to the laboratory.”

Vivian’s figure appeared by his side.

She covered her mouth. “How is Ling Yi gege!”

A medical robot slid over, swiftly intercepting Ling Yi from Lin Si’s hands, turning into a small, mobile medical cabin and placing Ling Yi in it.

Lin Si’s small spacecraft had already connected with the Expeditioner; the laboratory area activated a strong negative air pressure device, ensuring the virus would not spread through the air to other places on the ship.

One group of personnel went to the cryogenic freezing area to observe the specific symptoms, while the other group collected virus samples. Lin Si sent Ling Yi to the laboratory, turning on professional equipment to analyse the condition of his entire body.

“Surveillance records have been read,” Vivian followed him to the laboratory area, “Dr Lin. Ling Yi left something very important for you.”

The analysis results of the instruments had not come out yet, so Lin Si followed Vivian to the Expeditioner’s laboratory first.

Dozens of blood samples and biopsy specimens were neatly stacked in the freezer, with dates recorded.

—It was what they needed the most.

From a researcher’s standpoint, Lin Si should have been ecstatic, but from a parent’s perspective, Lin Si would rather Ling Yi did not do that. If he closed his eyes right now, he could imagine what Ling Yi looked like when he drew blood from himself.

He knew that Ling Yi was afraid of pain. When he was younger, he would sob and sob for a good while whenever Lin Si drew a tube of blood from him, but now he could accomplish the same task to this extent.

At this moment, Lin Si did not feel the gratification and joy for a child’s coming-of-age. He only felt heartache—how could his heart not ache at this?

Seeing Lin Si’s expression, Vivian did not even dare to let out a breath too loud, let alone allow him to read the diary in Ling Yi’s room.

Right at this moment, Lin Si’s bracelet buzzed once.

He opened his message list, but it turned out to be Ling Yi’s message—the time was dated eight years ago.

Lin Si stiffened for a moment, then immediately recovered. These were probably sent to him by Ling Yi when the Expeditioner first took off, but the signal had been cut off at that time, so he never received it, until Vivian took over the ship and recovered the network, allowing the message from eight years ago to only reach his bracelet now.

He faintly hovered his finger on the screen, but did not press down in the end. After three seconds, he dropped his hand.

Lin Si understood very well that right now, he needed to calm down, keep his senses clear, and not lose control of his emotions—the messages could be postponed for later reading, while the most urgent matter currently was to ensure Ling Yi was out of danger.

This was the basic rule for doctors—they had to maintain extreme composure. The person lying on the operating table had to be a complete stranger, whether they were an enemy or a close relative.

He packed away the blood samples and returned to the laboratory area.

Everyone else had completed their missions and returned one after another. Without further ado, they surrounded Ling Yi and carried out diagnosis and rescue of the highest-standard.

There was no way to deal with the virus for the time being, but measures could still be taken to slow down the disease, such as balancing electrolytes and repairing platelets. Although the price they had to pay was relatively expensive, it was not completely unaffordable—Madam Chen and the Marshal were very concerned about this matter, so Area 2 granted them countless precious resources for use.

Even so, Ling Yi’s vital signs only stabilised after ten hours.

Lin Si assigned roles for each of the personnel, while he stayed in front of Ling Yi’s bed and read the report from beginning to end.

Internal haemorrhage in the organs, ruptured blood vessels, organ failure in many areas…if it were a normal person’s body, it would undoubtedly have been a death sentence.

Only Ling Yi could withstand three years; it was a gift bestowed by the black hole radiation over ten years ago. If not, he would have laid inside the freezing cabins long ago, and when the Expeditioner returned and docked at the Voyager, the whole army would succumb to virus breakout.

Ling Yi did not dream this time. He woke up from total darkness, feeling like he had not slept so well for a long time.

He was unconscious for very long this time, so he did not know whether Lucia was still doing well… He was wondering, then suddenly realised that before he collapsed, the Expeditioner had already returned home.

He was back.

His heart pounded as he opened his eyes.

Familiar cold lighting, and a slightly different ceiling from the master control room.

And…Lin Si.

He blinked with force, believing he was still in a dream.

…But it was very real and not a dream.

Lin Si was expressionless, observing himself through the pair of glasses.

Ling Yi froze.

Lin Si was indeed looking at him.

Looking at Lin Si, his eyes were full of confusion, then he widened his eyes, and afterwards…his eyes slowly turned red. They first fogged up, then welled with water, and finally, tears were about to fall.

“How do you feel?” Lin Si asked him.

Ling Yi blinked, asking, “Will I infect you?”

“No,” said Lin Si. “The protective clothing is fully sealed.”

Ling Yi did not speak anymore and simply stared at Lin Si.

At first, Lin Si looked at him blankly with his arms folded together, but seeing he was being gazed at, the corners of his mouth lifted upwards slightly, and within his eyes a hint of laughter emerged. He walked close and touched Ling Yi’s head.

Ling Yi sat up, his eyes looking glum, and reached out his hand to hold Lin Si’s.

With a protective layer between them, it still seemed unreal, but it was certainly, truly Lin Si.

He looked at Lin Si left and right, realising that after growing bigger, he could no longer find a suitable posture to throw himself into Lin Si’s arms, and became so angry to the point of tears.

Lin Si could tell.

He had known for a long time that Ling Yi had been like this since he was a child. On the outside, his good-temper was sky-high, but the moment something went wrong in this aspect, he would anger himself to death.

Even after eight years, he was still the same, which was quite impressive.

He leaned closer to Ling Yi, lifted Ling Yi’s chin and examined closely.

He looked similar to what Lin Si expected. The delicacy of his younger appearance had not diminished at all, still remaining very beautiful, yet there was an additional spirit of a handsome young man in the eyebrows.34 Only the rims of his eyes were red, and he looked awfully aggrieved.

“As long as you’re back, everything’s alright,” said Lin Si. “Don’t cry.”

He was still okay before the words were said, but as soon as they came out, Ling Yi could not hold it in anymore, and his tears rolled out all at once.

Lin Si drew him into a hug.

Ling Yi’s whole body collapsed on Lin Si’s shoulders like he had fallen apart. He felt like there was no part of his body that did not hurt, and it was a pain that could not be tolerated in any way, that even taking a breath was so painful it felt like his heart was being stabbed.

When he was alone, he could grit his teeth and bear three years, but the moment he arrived at Lin Si’s side, it turned out he could not even withstand a minute of it.

He was trembling. “It hurts…”

Lin Si felt his heart clench. He patted his back. “I’ll go get painkillers.”

Ling Yi cried even harder. “You can’t leave…”

Lin Si said, “Two minutes.”

“No.”

Lin Si felt that he had no way to deal with him. “So does it hurt anywhere or not?”

“Hurts…” The soft voice was accompanied with a cry.

—This was a matter Lin Si had no way of dealing with. When it came to this type of delicate bun who had become shrewd over the years, the more Lin Si coaxed, the more he would cry, so he had to wait until he hugged and pleaded for affection to his heart’s content in order for it to stop.

When Ling Yi finally calmed down a little, Lin Si said, “Outside are the members of Wilkins. Half of them have met you before when you were little, so remember to say hello when you see them.”

Just as they finished speaking, someone knocked from the outside.

“Lin?” It was a female voice. “I heard some movements, did the patient wake up?”

Ling Yi still wore a face like a tabby cat that was not too appropriate to be seen by others. He blinked, did not speak, and had no intention to respond either.

Lin Si said, “Not yet, I’m speaking to Vivian.”

When that lady finally walked away, he pinched Ling Yi’s left cheek, raising his eyebrows. “You know you’re being an embarrassment, huh?”

Ling Yi obediently let him pinch it, his eyes wandering erratically in all four directions.

“How old are you? Hm? Do you want me to celebrate your eighth birthday?” Lin Si’s voice was slightly low; when it was sent into Ling Yi’s ears, it passed through his entire body like an electric shock and sparked his hairs to stand on its ends.

Moreover, he had just been verbally bullied by Lin Si, so he let go, feeling very angry.

Lin Si was afraid he would anger himself too much again and asked, “Angry?”

“…You don’t cherish me at all,” said Ling Yi.

Lin Si laughed. “I do.” 35

Ling Yi’s face immediately reddened.

*

The author has something to say:

Jiaoqi jing! Metamorphosis! 36

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