The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 1025: Contradictory

Then?

Gao Yang didn’t remember.

He seemed to have done something, something as trivial as turning on the light in the dark or opening the window to air out a stuffy room.

Then, Berserking Lion died.

“I must have done something, but I don’t remember,” Gao Yang admitted.

“Something?” Gray Bear repeated dramatically.

Gao Yang nodded.

“Hahaha! That’s the understatement of the year. Judging from the traces left in the factory, Berserking Lion had gone all out on you. Those were all war-grade weapons. Not only hadn’t you died, you had disassembled him to the most basic units.”

Lithe Snake added, “And all the data in his body was wiped, irreversibly.”

Gao Yang fell silent. He remembered none of it.

“Seriously? That’s crazy! How did you do it?”

Wu Dahai’s jaw dropped in shock.

The young man couldn’t be more mundane when lying on his surgical bed. He couldn’t imagine him turning Berserking Lion into a pile of basic components.

“Super, power,” Ronnie offered a speculation.

Everyone fell into understanding silence.

That seemed to be the only explanation: Gao Yang had acquired an S-class superpower as a Jupiter Traveler, the strongest power of all.

If that was the case, it could be a blessing or a curse. It was said that the stronger the superpower, the greater the side effects.

Vermilion Bird sighed. “Whatever the case, it’s thanks to you that we didn’t get exposed. Yan Feng and Gui Zhe would be more inclined to attribute Berserking Lion’s death to bad luck, that he had run into the Moon Cavalry while chasing you.”

She met Gao Yang’s eyes. “Your identity’s now compromised. Don’t go home. I’ve terminated your collaboration with Closure, too.”

Can took out something that resembled a skin mask. It was an attachable set of simulated facial muscles. “Newbie, you have to put on two masks from now on. Disguise first, then the hologram mask.”

Gao Yang accepted the skin mask and nodded.

“I’ll make you a new identity. You’ll be living with us,” Vermilion Bird said. “Give yourself a codename to make it easier.”

After a beat, Gao Yang said, “Dark Horse.”

“Haha, that’s bold!” Gray Bear gave him a thumbs-up. “Love it!”

“Right, Gao Yang’s dead. You’re now Dreamrise’s Dark Horse.” Vermilion Bird extended her hand toward Gao Yang.

The others immediately joined, placing their hands on hers.

“Me, me, me! Me too!” Wu Dahai, Dreamrise’s long-time collaborator, rushed over for the party.

Gao Yang looked up to find everyone staring at him.

He slowly extended his cybernetic arm and placed his hand on top of everyone else’s.

Can began the countdown.

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.”

“The odds be with, us!”

The thunderous cheers reverberated across the dim, humid underground clinic.

...

Dreamrise had numerous bases in Moon City, one of them being a shop selling items for funeral processions in District 8.

Funeral services were now a dying industry, especially in Moon City.

Most cadavers were either sent to the city administration for collective incineration, or ended up in underground clinics in black markets to extract all the remaining values. Nevertheless, there were still those holding onto traditions and wishing for a proper funeral to see their soul off; they wanted their ashes to be cast into rivers and returned to nature. @@novelbin@@

There were also those who craved an eternal life. They wished to have all their data in life—what people called “electronic ashes”—into the Heavenly Sea on Neunet.

Vermilion Bird, the shop owner, could provide such service at an affordable price.

For the next few weeks, Gao Yang, now named Dark Horse, worked as the shopkeeper. Work was slow. He received only one customer every two to three days.

He spent most time daydreaming or playing with the white cat at the shop; the leisurely life made him an oddity in the world.

Of course, he went on missions sometimes, too.

He mostly played the easy roles of driving or acting as extras to cover his teammates. After every mission, the team would spend their earnings on buying things they liked, mostly weapons, equipment, and the maintenance and upgrades of their augmentations.

Came night, they would celebrate; more often than not, the celebration involved drinking at Mirage. And sometimes, they would surf on the Neunet for special fun.

A month soon flew by.

Gao Yang hadn’t had any “dream” during the month, and he hadn’t heard any voices calling out to him. Of course, he hadn’t spotted any flaws in this reality, either.

On a night of full moon and acid rain, all members of Dreamrise headed to Mirage. They had just finished a gig, and it was Gray Bear’s birthday—his age was a secret. Most people in Moon City stayed hushed about their background and age.

The celebration was in full swing with double the happy occasions. They drank. They danced. Then they entered a booth to surf the net together.

Six of them lay on the roaming seats, connecting to the Neunet through their S Chips. As their captain, Vermilion Bird took them to roam the Heavenly Sea.

Gao Yang, without an S Chip, sat alone and awake on the sofa, drinking while keeping watch on his teammates.

Twenty minutes later, they woke up together.

Can tore off the cable and shot to her feet, rushing to a corner to vomit right into the trashcan.

“Move it!”

Gray Bear rushed over and held the trashcan as he threw up.

The others didn’t vomit, but they looked ill, too. Their eyes, however, told Gao Yang that they already wanted another go.

“I can’t even tell if you’re tortured or happy.” Gao Yang smiled. “Is this what people call a painful pleasure?”

“Vomiting is, merely a symptom, of the body and, consciousness, being out, of sync,” Ronnie explained in increasingly choppy sentences, showing Gao Yang the desynchronization he was undergoing clearly.

“Haha, rather than happy, I’d call the feeling ‘liberating’.” Xiran fetched wet tissue for Can and Gray Bear. In a serious tone, he said, “It feels like breaking free of all restraints. The line between the self and the sea of data blurs, as if we can embrace the whole world as long as we open our arms.”

“Liberating, but dangerous.” Vermilion Bird was in a better condition. She sat on a roaming chair and lit a cigarette.

“If you get careless, your consciousness may melt into the Heavenly Sea. One of the main components of the Heavenly Sea is the countless shards of human consciousness. Do not approach without me.”

Gao Yang’s confusion doubled. “You know it’s dangerous, yet you can’t help but get close to it. You’re afraid of destruction, yet you chase it all the same. Nothing can be more contradictory.”

“Nicely put.” Vermilion Bird’s organic eye glinted. “Perhaps that’s the essence of being human.”

“Even Adam and Eve failed to resist the serpent’s, temptation,” Ronnie said. “Let alone, us.”

“Stop acting all pretentious.” Gray Bear turned to Gao Yang. “It’s better to experience it than overthink it. Try it once and you’ll know everything!”

“Yeah.” Can wished Gao Yang would join them. “Why don’t you get an S Chip, newbie? Captain will take you along next time, too.”

“The Heavenly Sea’s awesome. It always makes me feel secure and warm. All my loneliness and fear are gone when I roam it.”

“Can.” Vermilion Bird’s eyes darkened. “You’re in great danger.”