Chapter 345 - 287: Great Joy of the Machine Soul

Chu Bamboo opened his eyes to find himself sitting in a maglev car. "..."

"What’s wrong?" Huo Qiming asked, confused by the change in Chu Bamboo’s expression.

"It’s nothing!" Chu Bamboo shook his head, his gaze deepening as he watched the nuclear facility grow closer in the distance.

...

After landing, Chu Bamboo didn’t strap the Antimatter Bomb to a drone this time. He did, however, still use a drone, flying it right up to the nuclear facility...

This was to attract the attention of the two who would emerge from it, just as they had after the shantytown sacrificial plot had been foiled.

Just like before.

Soon, the Fifth Apostle appeared behind Chu Bamboo and, as always, locked his arm around Chu Bamboo’s neck.

"So... this time, you really didn’t notice anything unusual?" Chu Bamboo mused. ’Just as I guessed. The overlapping of two twisted Destinies... it made Fifth overlook the anomaly!’

"?" Fifth froze. ’What does he mean?’

But before he could ask, he realized in the next instant that something was wrong. His expression changed drastically, but it was already too late for him to escape...

In that moment, a searing black light spread with terrifying speed.

...

Chu Bamboo opened his eyes in the Ecological Garden. He looked a bit dazed as he rubbed his brow. A moment later, he collected himself. ’My condition is starting to worsen! Still, it’s a good thing. That last attempt at least proved that I really can kill Fifth.’

’If everything goes smoothly...’

Chu Bamboo paused, a grim expression crossing his face. The problem was, even if he successfully killed Fifth... he still had to worry about whether the Big Orange Cat would sense the anomaly and just drop in.

Chu Bamboo was inclined to believe the Big Orange Cat wouldn’t care about Fifth, but he couldn’t be certain. ’Whatever, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it... Once I get past this hurdle, if worse comes to worst, I’ll flee to the Celestial Capital and take shelter with the Pope.’

’The problem now is...’ Chu Bamboo pursed his lips, a shadow darkening his eyes. ’Do I really have to use that plan?’

But Chu Bamboo didn’t hesitate for long. He slowly rose to his feet, his expression more severe than ever.

...

「One hour later.」

In the office of the captain of the Zone Three Special Operations Brigade.

"Alright! I’ve said all I need to say. Following these steps will be enough to disrupt the All-Powerful Lineage’s plan." Chu Bamboo took a deep breath. "I’m counting on all of you."

Everyone’s expressions were varied, but they all rose to their feet in agreement.

And then...

"...Captain Chu!" Captain Yang said cautiously, looking at Chu Bamboo’s silence. "Is there... something else... you want to say?"

After all, he should have dismissed the meeting by now... but Chu Bamboo remained silent.

Chu Bamboo’s fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop. He lowered his gaze and said softly, "Because what we’ve dealt with so far... is only the surface of the problem."

"The surface?" Captain Yang murmured, gradually realizing something.

"Yes." Chu Bamboo pursed his lips. "The true core of the sacrificial rite... is actually the Fifth and Eleventh Apostles of the All-Powerful Lineage!"

’On the surface, it seems like killing the members of the All-Powerful Lineage would solve the problem of a large-scale sacrifice, right? But that’s only a temporary fix!’

’First, Fifth and Eleven still have the option to detonate the nuclear facility! That plan even has the covert support of some high-level figures in Daqian... I can’t even say that out loud in this setting.’

’Second, if we can’t kill Fifth and Eleven, then any victory now will just be temporary! What’s to stop them from finding a new batch of underlings to continue the sacrifices and conjure the black mist?’

’And we can’t be on guard forever.’

’But, if I’m going to kill Fifth and Eleven...’

"I need someone," Chu Bamboo said. "Someone whose Cultivation has reached at least the Second Realm, and who is willing to die."

The room fell into a dead silence.

...

「After the meeting.」

Chu Bamboo’s feelings were complicated.

"...Don’t be like that." Huo Qiming placed a hand on Chu Bamboo’s shoulder, his voice calm. Seeming to sense what Chu Bamboo was thinking, he said reassuringly, "People die... It’s inevitable. Besides, when has a battlefield ever been without death?"

In Huo Qiming’s eyes, this confrontation with the All-Powerful Lineage was a war. He had come to terms with that... or rather, he had no choice. The turnover in the Captain’s Office was too fast... a thirty percent attrition rate every year! What did it even mean for thirty percent of their members to die annually? Even if most of them were new recruits, the number was still terrifying.

"You don’t have to tell me." Chu Bamboo glanced at Huo Qiming, his tone dismissive. "I’m not some naive child. But... sometimes I can’t help but wonder if there’s a better way, one that doesn’t require any sacrifices. It’s just..."

’Reality isn’t a fairy tale, after all.’ Chu Bamboo’s thoughts drifted to Zhou Ze...

"And you say you’re not?" Huo Qiming’s expression was noncommittal. After a moment’s thought, he patted Chu Bamboo’s shoulder again. "After this is over, you should come with me to the Rongguang Institute..."

"No, thanks." Chu Bamboo shook his head. The so-called Rongguang Institute was something like a memorial for fallen heroes. "I’ve already been several times."

Then, without hesitation, he strode forward and walked out of the Police Chief Bureau.

"..." Huo Qiming stood there silently for a moment before sighing softly. "He’s still just a kid, after all."

"Yes. It’s only because he’s so mature and resolute that so many people have come to rely on him. They forget his real age because of it..." Li Kang’s calm, gentle voice suddenly cut in.

Huo Qiming narrowed his eyes. He turned and took a long look at Li Kang, Guan Fei, a conflicted-looking Ning Linglong, and a dazed Wall Announcements... then said nothing more.

...

At 8:30, Chu Bamboo summoned Mo Wen and two disciples from the Mo Family, bringing them to a location directly above the Hive Base.

Unlike last time, when he had gathered a whole group of Mo Family members, this time he only brought two. One was the same disciple from before, the one who possessed the Earth Control Type Divine Technique. The other was a disciple Chu Bamboo had specifically requested and Mo Wen had chosen, one who commanded a Divine Technique for repairing Ancient Relics...

Having done this once before, Chu Bamboo led them directly above the main gate and instructed the Mo Family disciple with the earth-moving abilities to begin constructing a tunnel.

"...What are you doing?" Mo Wen frowned, looking at the flame that had sprung to life in Chu Bamboo’s hand. He glanced around but saw no enemies, which only confused him more. Then, a flash of inspiration struck him. "Your Divine Technique is fire... Are you trying to ask if your fire... can be used for Forging? That... might actually be possible! But you would have to join..."

"Oh, it’s not about that," Chu Bamboo cut Mo Wen off, his face impassive. He was simply clearing a slot for Cloned Divine Techniques. Ten minutes later, he placed a hand on the shoulder of the other Mo Family disciple, who was standing idle with a bewildered look on his face. "Hey, friend. Don’t be nervous, and don’t resist... I just want to ask you a few things about the Moisture Teaching... just some common knowledge! And Mo Wen, don’t look at me like that... I’m not going to ask about any of your secrets!"

As he spoke, Chu Bamboo silently probed the Divine Technique of the Mo Family disciple—the one he had requested and Mo Wen had chosen.

Divine Technique: Equipment Repair

First Divine Power: Mechanical Inspection

Second Divine Power: Great Joy of the Machine Soul

’?’ Chu Bamboo’s eyebrow twitched, and his mind reeled. ’There’s not much to say about the First Divine Power. It’s a standard ability: place your hand on a machine and you can naturally sense... which part of it is malfunctioning.’

’Of course, a true mechanics specialist could use their Divine Power to sense the faulty part, its general condition, and from there deduce the exact location and nature of the problem... But for this group, who view Ancient Relics as though they were Divine Artifacts, they can only tell which part is broken... As for *why* it’s broken, they definitely wouldn’t have a clue!’

’So how do you fix a machine when you only know *where* the problem is, but not *what* it is? ...That’s where Great Joy of the Machine Soul comes in!’

Name: Great Joy of the Machine Soul

Effect: Through devout prayer, the machine can be made to act as if it has its own soul, its own life. It can then gradually repair itself!

Bonus Effect: If the location of the problem can be confirmed, praying devoutly over that specific part will cause only that part to become ’machine-souled,’ drastically reducing the amount of Blessing Power consumed.

’What can I even say?’ For a moment, Chu Bamboo didn’t know what expression to wear. ’These two Skills are definitely a set... It’s just, they’re a little... out there.’