Chapter 1163 — A Test

Patty chattered on eagerly about what she had seen and heard in the neural network, and only at the end did she seem to suddenly remember something, hastily adding: "Oh, right — I saw Mr. 'High-speed Stag' again. This time he actually didn't play cards with anyone or argue with anyone; he'd learned how to create things in Phantom Pivot City by will alone. He gave me a little flower he'd made himself as a gift, but before I could finish thanking him, he suddenly logged off..."

"Mr. High-speed Stag..." A rather odd smile crept onto Selena's face. "So you've already accepted his gift?"

"Yes, though for some reason the flower disappeared very quickly," Patty blinked, puzzled. "And he left the network very suddenly, so I'm a little worried... He really does give the impression of being an elderly gentleman. Sister Selena, you don't think he's run into some trouble in the real world, do you?"

"Don't worry, Patty. Every immersion pod has monitoring devices; if a user has a problem, an alarm goes out at once to the nearest computation center," Selena said, seeming to hold back laughter as she comforted her. "Mr. High-speed Stag probably just had to leave suddenly — for all we know, he's playing cards with his friends right now."

...

In a lounge in Splitstone Fortress, Ropeni Gelan sat in a high-backed chair by the window. The sunlight, now slanting, came through the glass and brought the heat of midsummer; the chirring of insects was shut out by the double layer of crystal glass and seemed to come from very far away; the ventilation system hummed softly within the ceiling, and the cooled airflow kept the room comfortable.

Ropeni's gaze fell on the table, on the report she had read halfway through. In the faintly yellowed sunlight, line after line of letters in the report presented themselves to her eyes:

...In summary, the neural cables laid in the first phase of the project have successfully completed fusion within the pre-embedded conduits of the workshop and achieved biological signal transmission... The operating efficiency of the biomass circulation pipes has reached design standards... Effective connection between the neural fiber network and the machine terminals... The primary and secondary brains are in good physiological condition and have achieved simulated operation; the first experimental workshop is ready at any time to undergo inspection and acceptance and be put into use...

Ropeni read every word of the report carefully. The black crystal pendant at her earlobe trembled faintly in the air with the subtle motions of her shifting gaze, the finely cut facets of the crystal continually reflecting the gorgeous colors of the sunlight. The room was so quiet that only the sound of turning pages remained — and that quiet lasted a long while before it was finally broken by a deliberately projected "footstep."

The Viscountess Gelan raised her head and saw the node scholar Selena Geerfen, lantern in hand, appearing at the doorway not far off. She seemed to have just pushed the door open and stepped in — but in truth that door had never been opened, and this wanderer from the world of the network had never set foot in the corridor outside, which ought at present to be utterly empty.

From the formation mechanism of psychic projections, Ropeni knew that before she turned her head to look, there had been only herself in this room; the other's figure had emerged only after her gaze arrived — such was the wondrous effect produced by the interaction between the neural network and the human sensory system.

A faint smile appeared on the regional governor's face, and she nodded to Selena: "I thought you'd stay a while longer with Patty."

"She and I can meet in New Phantom Pivot City anytime, but a busy governor like you doesn't have much time to spend inside the neural network," Selena said with a smile, stepping toward the Viscountess Ropeni. "I hope I'm not interrupting your work."

Ropeni Gelan's gaze rested on this lady who "lived on in the world" in the form of a network ghost, and in that instant she suddenly felt the inscrutability of fate — it seemed only a short while ago that this lady, and the power she represented, had appeared to her as an out-and-out dark cult, a group to be treated with caution and even hostility; yet a great upheaval had torn apart the ancient sect and overturned everyone's understanding of the gods and the Eternal Sleepers. Now these submitted Eternal Sleepers had become technicians of the Cecil Empire, and the enemies who once required vigilance... had now become her own people.

Even her own people on fairly good terms.

"You're not interrupting," Ropeni nodded. "I've just finished this report, and next there's only a trip to the factory — there's still some time before that."

"Then that's perfect," Selena said at once. "We can talk about Patty."

At the mention of Patty, Ropeni's expression turned serious at once. She first gestured for Selena to take the chair opposite (though a network ghost had no need to sit, it would at least make the conversation easier), then asked gravely: "Has she... already come into contact with the target?"

"'Contact' isn't quite the right word; they came into contact many days ago," Selena first corrected the viscountess, then nodded. "The final test is over. The God of Nature gave Patty a small 'gift,' exactly as we anticipated — and neither side was influenced by any external will; information was kept sealed throughout, and the test was conducted under pure conditions, so the results should be highly reliable."

"At present Amon has been temporarily isolated by Noretta in the deep layers of the network, under the highest degree of surveillance and quarantine, while Patty knows nothing."

Ropeni nodded silently, and only after a few seconds asked: "After this, what will happen to Patty?"

"The power of the God of Nature will take effect — though this power has now weakened greatly and no longer possesses 'miracle'-level might, it is still enough to make a frail mortal girl healthy. The discordant artificial tissues and original tissues within Patty's body will gradually adapt to one another; her soul and spirit will both be repaired; she will recover... There may, of course, be a tiny trace left behind, but on the whole she will step into adulthood healthy and whole.

"You may even look forward to seeing her stand up on her own on her coming-of-age day, walk toward you, and receive your blessing and embrace."

Viscountess Ropenny's breathing grew somewhat rapid and pronounced despite herself. She drew a deep breath and gripped the armrest of the chair tightly to keep her composure. Only after a few seconds of steadying herself did she ask, "Then what do I need to do?"

"For the next hour, cooperate with our observation—we from the network level, you from the reality level. Pay close attention to Patty's actions: see whether she suddenly whispers or prays, whether she acts as if she hears something, and most importantly... whether she mentions the names 'Amon' or 'God of Nature'."