Soul of Burning Steel

At first, things were not so easy to understand.

The elf analyst works quietly at his desk. He wears elf-like long strip-shaped full-coverage earphones and listens to various echoes about the void in the database—the profession of an analyst requires sensitive perception and extremely Excellent hearing is perfect for elves. The vast majority of analysts are elves, and their patience honed by a long life is also very suitable.

The database of the Void Exploration Ship Morning Light is not large, because it was urgently recalled not long after its journey started. The elf analyst estimates that he only needs four or five days to complete this task. At that time, he can Get an incentive bonus. This bonus will be sent once every time the database of a void exploration ship is analyzed, so he likes this kind of mission with little data very much.

"Speaking of which, this sum of money plus my savings is already quite a lot. Where should I spend it... Is there enough jewelry from my mother, or should I buy some new clothes for Jenny? Hmm... give it to my father A small submarine, he has been talking about this a few days ago, and wants to go to the deep sea world to see fish from other worlds."

Although many thoughts about the future flashed through his mind, the moment he started working, the elf analyst immediately calmed down and concentrated on his work. Listening to the void echo requires full concentration, and it is a very energy-consuming technical job, so the salary is not low. Even if it is to be worthy of his own salary, he will seriously perform his responsibilities.

As time goes by, after a few hours, the analyst has already eliminated most of the worthless clutter, and the remaining fragments that cannot be analyzed temporarily will be repeatedly confirmed several times in subsequent work to analyze their value. This is the key point .

Because, if the information in the clutter is really valuable, then the Void Exploration Department doesn't mind giving out another bonus, which is also the motivation to urge most analysts to persevere and work hard.

"It's almost at the limit."

However, after working for such a long time, I really needed to take a break, so I felt a little tired and couldn't continue to concentrate. When listening to the voice of the void, the analyst said to himself: "After listening to this paragraph, I will go to Pour a cup of coffee."

The last echo in the void is meaningless clutter, without any tone or aesthetic feeling, but this clutter is unexpectedly not harsh, and most of the clutter is distorted by the turbulence of time and space, like howling. Compared with the sharp murmur, it seemed very mild.

"Sure enough, it's worthless."

Although this mild clutter surprised the analyst at its particularity, after listening to it several times, he found that it was really worthless. It was neither a space-time turbulent shock wave that occurred in some worlds when they encountered abnormal conditions. It wasn't the echoes caused by the actions of the void behemoths, but the ordinary background noise of the void.

Putting the matter behind him, the analyst went to get himself a cup of coffee, ate some pastry, rested for a while, and then continued with the day's work, and because of the extra pay for overtime, he volunteered to work overtime into the evening At nine o'clock, after finishing twelve hours of work a day, I went back to the accommodation area of ​​Jetrum Void Base to sleep.

In the artificial night darkness of the dormitory, the analyst who was lying on the bed and dreaming, frowned in his sleep, and then woke up suddenly.

"Just now...my dream..."

He felt that there seemed to be a lot of things in his mind, phantoms of some strange creatures, but he couldn't remember anything... This strange feeling gave the elf analyst a strange sense of danger, but because it was really Too sleepy, so he lay back and continued to sleep.

In the second half of the night on the first day, he didn't wake up. In the dream, something was sprouting and taking root, and something had been changed forever, but the changed person didn't know it.

The next morning, the elf analyst came to the work area on time. After greeting several acquaintances and colleagues, he continued to sit in his seat and continued yesterday's work.

However, just as he continued to listen to the echoes in the void, for some reason, the analyst inexplicably discovered that he could rely on instinct to directly distinguish which information contained in which echoes.

"This... is the sound of the nearby medium-sized world! It moves together with dozens of small worlds in the same star field, causing its echoes to become complicated and chaotic, turning into a noise similar to clutter!"

"And this! It should be the fluctuation of the interaction energy between a certain high-energy level small world and the big demon tide! My God, it's a high-energy small world, which is enough for me to get a bonus!"

"Yes, and this, I can also understand what it means... This should be the aftermath of a war in the void hundreds of years ago. Both sides of the battle are very strong..."

The surprised analyst found that he was able to analyze the strength of both sides in the previous battle just by listening: "Both sides have broken through the limit and reached the level of a mature body... Hey, what do you mean by breaking through the limit and mature body? "

Although he was a little surprised why his adjectives became strange, but the analyst classified it into the category of 'too shocked to speak out', so he didn't care too much, because the most important thing for him now is to put these special adjectives into words. All the discoveries of value are reported to the superiors, and after verifying that their information is correct in the future, they will get their own share of the bonus.

Even with the recent martial law, the bonus cannot be paid in real time, but his loan amount will be much larger, and maybe a few more years of savings... he can buy a fixed property in the Void Base!

While maintaining this sense of excitement and continuing to work until the end of get off work, the analyst couldn't wait to collect the information and submit it to the headquarters of the Void Exploration Department.

"It seems that my talent that has been silent for many years has been unearthed."

With this almost pie-in-the-sky joy, the elf analyst lay on the bed flattered, and slowly fell into a deep sleep. Just before he really lost consciousness, there was still a smile on the corner of his mouth: "So this is a genius!" Do you feel like it? It's awesome..."

The night of the second day ended without a dream. In the hazy darkness, something began to spread, wrap, and affect the real matter from the nihilistic thinking.

The next day, it was about one o'clock in the afternoon of Mycroft UTC. After lunch, the elf analyst suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't know whether it was a stomachache or a stomachache. In short, he went to the toilet several times, but he had neither diarrhea. , and no other symptoms, just non-stop retching. Since he submitted a large amount of information and analysis that proved to be valuable yesterday, the supervisor of the analysis department also came here to pay attention, and even took him to the medical center for a comprehensive gap.

"There's no problem...it's just that you have to eat well."

A dwarf doctor jumped off his chair, used magic to levitate in mid-air, and prescribed a prescription for him. Although his hair was gray, the close relative of the dwarf, who was two times smaller than the dwarf, said in a rather disapproving tone: " Look, malnutrition, long-term irregular diet, coupled with your weird food culture, if you don't pay attention, it will lead to sudden stomach cramps."

"Here are some high-energy nutrients from the military. You can't eat too much, but you can eat a little when you get sick. The nutrients and slime colloid in it can effectively relieve pain and repair the gastric mucosa. If you want to cure it, you need to correct your eating habits , eat more animal protein."

"Yes Yes……"

Although I want to say, 'My diet is very healthy! 'This kind of words to refute, but because the stomach hurts and the body is very weak, the analyst has no strength to refute...Anyway, if it doesn't work, it's a big deal to find another doctor to see the situation. After the doctor issued a certificate, the analyst Then continue to return to work and continue your work.

At night, the analyst felt that his stomach started to convulse as if he couldn't control it, causing severe pain. Having already received the military's high-energy nutrient, he immediately took out a small bottle of what looked like a can, and opened it directly. , pour the luminous jelly into the mouth. It can be felt that the nutritional agent made of slime colloid is wriggling in the esophagus like a living thing, entering the stomach pouch, and starting to appease the rebellious organs... Just as the doctor said, the pain was temporarily relieved , the analyst with lingering fear put down the nutrient in his hand and let out a breath.

"What kind of strange disease is this... However, it is a bit weird to say, but has my strength increased a little?"

Glancing at the pinched and deformed can, the analyst frowned slightly. He remembered the strength of this military can. Even professional fighters would need to spend some effort to open it without tools. It is indeed a bit weird that it can be unscrewed directly under it.

With a restless mind, he turned off the lights and uploaded, and began to fall asleep.

On the night of the third day, the dream was blurred, and the elf analyst felt that he had turned into a monster with a strange shape, swimming in the ocean, devouring all the creatures in front of him. He felt very happy and comfortable, and there was nothing more interesting than this thing.

After waking up, the elf analyst got up to wash his hands, and the moment he looked up to brush his teeth and looked in the mirror, he was startled.

"Who is this?!"

I don't know if it's an illusion, but the analyst felt that his face seemed to have changed - but when he took a closer look and compared the selfie in the mental terminal with the photo with his parents, there was no change, green hair and blue pupils, straight nose bridge , handsome face, all in all, still handsome.

But I don't know why, facing this pretty face, which is obviously his own, the analyst unexpectedly doesn't have any empathy, and feels like he is looking at a stranger instead.

Going to the workplace, the analyst also felt that other people passing by, even his acquaintances, colleagues and friends looked at him with strange eyes, but if they looked at each other, they found that the other party was just greeting him normally.

Vaguely, the abnormally good hearing made the analyst hear the passing colleagues whispering to themselves.

"Strange, Neuper wasn't so energetic before, right?"

"Yeah, it's like a different person. Although he was handsome before, he felt normal...but today he feels a little different."

"Hey, the bloodline of the elves is good. Just changing the style is very eye-catching. I don't know how the bloodline optimization researched by Moldavia is. If we humans are all handsome men and beautiful women..."

...

The discussion quickly changed topics, and there was still some self-doubt in his heart, but the elf analyst named Neuper dispelled most of the doubts in his heart because of the secret envy of others.

"Anyway, it's not a bad thing." He thought so in his heart, and even had a sense of national pride: "Speaking of which, I remember that I have a distant cousin, Constantine or something, who seems to have joined the blood transformation of Moldavia The research team, I remember being an alchemist in an elite team of the External Exploration Department... I don’t know how that guy is doing recently.”

Today's work is also very smooth. The current elf analysts can even hear the origin behind it directly from the background noise of the void. Even the department head was shocked after knowing this.

"Good boy, you must know that among those shepherds who have lived with the giant void beasts for thousands of years, there are many professionals who do not have this ability!"

In the supervisor's office, watching the analyst analyze the correct answers to several difficult tests face to face, the supervisor who is also an elf patted his junior on the shoulder, and encouraged him with relief: "Your talent is outstanding, working here is really amazing. Some have buried you - so, in a few days, you go to the headquarters to fool around with your qualifications and pass a test. If you really have the relevant talents, you might be able to board the 'Dreadnought-class Void Battleship' and become a member of the Glorious Expeditionary Force The listeners who follow the army directly guide the direction of our army!"

——In this way, I also have the credit for the recommendation, and you and I will get promoted and raise our salary, just around the corner.

"I will work hard!"

Although he could hear the echoes of the world, he still couldn't hear the subtext, but that didn't stop the analyst from being overjoyed—the listeners who followed the army were not at the same level as the analysts who were doing data analysis in the rear! The former is to enjoy the 'elite advanced superhuman benefits', the treatment is equivalent to the high-level technical jobs of high-level ultra-powerful people, and it is difficult to find one among tens of millions of people, while the latter only enjoys the ration of basic superhumans, and it is just an ordinary skill with a generous bonus system Just the type of work.

Encouraged by his boss and looking forward to the future, today's analyst fell asleep with hope after eating another can of high-energy nutrition.

"Speaking of which, the nutritional supplements are almost finished."

The moment before falling into the dream, he thought a little uneasy: "The doctor said that a little is enough, but I take one can at a time... Is this a bit abnormal?"

Thinking of this, he fell asleep.

On the night of the fourth day, it was fantastic and mysterious. For some reason, the elf analyst saw his whole life in his dream—from birth to adulthood, from childishness to maturity. When he was young, he saw the throbbing in the heart of the sky. Seeing the message of first love, and becoming an adult, vowing to become a master, and the determination to persevere in fighting for it... Everything is gathered together with the lens of every detail, and turned into a star.

The analyst knew instinctively that this was the life of the man named 'Neupel', which was his essence. These memories and information are the real him. Without these, even if the body is the same, he is another person.

The stars shone brightly, illuminating the dark dreamland, making the analyst watching all this feel inexplicably at ease.

Then, at the moment when the dream was about to end.

Pure white threads began to appear, wrapping the star layer by layer... that's it.

It turned into a huge 'cocoon'.

The next day, working hours.

"Strange, what about the Neupers?"

"I don't know... It seems that I have asked for leave?"

"I was called in by the leader yesterday, so I started to slack off today... Shouldn't I? He's not that kind of person."

"Maybe it's really uncomfortable—you know, he went to see a doctor a few days ago. Maybe it's a side effect of the awakening of extraordinary talent?"

"Who knows."

The discussion among colleagues ended here. After all, it was just a one-day leave. It was not a big deal. When everyone was inconvenient, as a colleague who had worked in the same unit for more than a year, there was no competition among them. There is no relationship, and there is no personal enmity, so it is natural not to speculate too maliciously.

And the Jetrum Void Base, accommodation area, and Neuper's room.

On the analyst's bed, there is no longer the elf with green hair and blue eyes. There is only a 'cocoon' made of countless silk threads with a delicate and soft surface.

The 'cocoon' is vibrating, but it's not because the things inside are struggling, but it's a natural movement, which in turn emits subtle sound waves. This sound wave is extremely subtle, gentle like clutter passing through the void, without any characteristics or signs. However, if you listen carefully and listen to the emotions in it, you will find that this sound wave is like a whisper, a cry, or even... a joyous praise.

[There is such a strange question]

Can sound change matter?

--sure. Sound waves are originally a kind of vibration transmitted in various media. Too strong sound waves are enough to shatter glass walls and cause damage to the human body. Subtle sound waves can also imperceptibly make people anxious and make sensitive creatures feel uncomfortable.

So, can sound contain information?

--sure. Human language relies on special sound waves of different frequencies to convey different information. In fact, the information that sound waves can transmit is unexpectedly rich, but the frequency of sound waves that humans can emit, listen to and use is relatively small, so humans think that sound waves are a low-level language, but in fact, sound waves can only be regarded as a communication environment at best. General, if you switch to other waves, the situation will be much better.

No, no, the real meaning of this question is that the fluctuation itself can be used as a carrier, even if the people who hear it can’t understand it, it can also be like an image, conveying some information that can be understood by any life without explanation ?

——The answer is of course you can.

special sound waves. No, it is a special wave, in essence, enough to change everything. The ripples containing extraordinary power, the moment they touch the human body, can apply their own information to it, transform the flesh and blood that meets the requirements on the material level, and directly instill some knowledge that has been prepared long ago.

How to put it, in the face of these special waves, ordinary life is powerless to resist, just like shattered glass, disturbed eardrums, and emotions changed subtly, gradually, bit by bit, echoed by it Eroded, transformed, and then turned into another form that is completely different from before.

It can even be said that it is enough to achieve such a fantastic thing as letting old creatures 'die' and new life 'birth'.

The sixth day, early morning.

'Elf Analyst Neuper' woke up from his own corpse.

It lowered its head calmly, looked at the shriveled skin and cocoons that had begun to degrade naturally, and then showed an intriguing smile.

[There is such a philosophical question. 】

The parts on a ship are gradually replaced until the parts of the original ship become brand new parts and the old ones are completely replaced. Is the ship still the same?

It doesn't matter whether an object has no self-awareness, but if an intelligent and conscious life encounters such a thing, what will happen to his self-cognition?

If there is such a powerful super biological larva born in the body of an ordinary intelligent life, it absorbs all the memory, consciousness and soul of the original owner, and engraves it on its own memory, as if it is its own , carefully store backups.

Then, based on it, a complete simulation, re-engraving the original owner's thinking mode... No, it can't be said that way. Because as early as a few days ago, the larva of this super life had already invaded the brain of the original owner along the nervous system, thinking together with the original owner, and then replaced every cell in the original owner bit by bit—but even so However, the original owner was still 'thinking' by himself, the super life larva didn't interfere in any way, it just became a part of the original owner.

Then it became him, and he became it.

Storage copy, record restoration, calculation test, optimization and sublimation. This is the ultimate mission. An extreme life will hold everything that was originally owned, including but not limited to the original blood, memory, preferences, personality, and thinking mode. In a sense, it is the original person, because memory is the noumenon , the super life larva just became a part of the original owner, and then assimilated with the original owner.

But is it true?

"Although I died, I was born again."

The elf used to dress herself gracefully. It felt that the endless hunger was making its stomach convulse, but the pain that made it feel extremely uncomfortable not long ago has now become an impulse with joy. Feeling this impulse, he raised his hand and clenched his fist. The incomparably powerful and extraordinary power was surging between the flesh and blood.

Showing his teeth, the extreme creature Neuper said with a relaxed smile: "Death of the newborn."

"I love this feeling."

In Starfall 848, on April 8th, mature extreme creatures appeared in Jetrum Void Base, causing 370,000 deaths and then escaped. Dozens of civilized ambassadors in Jetrum were among them, and the Third Expeditionary Force The squadron encountered a surprise attack, and most of them sank. In the world of Jetrum, the Stargate of Myriad Realms was temporarily closed, and the mother world of Mycroft World and all colonies entered a state of full martial law.

The world was shocked.

Yesterday's update, 6200, the second chapter is still being written, very long

Ask for a monthly pass