Chapter 96
No matter how many instructions, formulas, or parameters are used, they can only create artificial singularities, not you.
Mary Shelley knelt before Verlaine, whose movements were restricted, and firmly told him this conclusion.
In the first few seconds, Verlaine's expression remained unchanged as he kept his head down; his light iris-colored eyes reflected only the ruined road and the yellowed manuscripts carefully placed on the rubble.
Then, he seemed to gradually realize what those words meant, and slowly raised his head to look at Mary Shelley.
Verlaine's voice trembled slightly.
"What...what did you just say?"
“Creating a controllable artificial singularity is very difficult, but not impossible,” Mary Shelley explained quietly. “The key is that the command ports of the artificial singularity must be artificially connected with high adaptability, and the singularity itself cannot exist independently.”
"That's only natural. Superpowers are born from the human soul, so how could they exist independently of the human being? Even compiling code requires suitable hardware—it's the same principle."
Mary Shelley slightly extended her index finger, not daring to go over those subspace cubes to actually poke Verlaine.
"From my professional perspective, your body may have originated from a highly compatible experimental human subject created using cloning technology,"
She tried to explain to Verlaine in simple terms, "But you can't be an artificial singularity, nor are you just a program; human technology can't do that. The personality you possess is an inner reflection of your soul when facing the outside world, and it absolutely cannot be composed of a few lines of instructions."
"You are the only life form that controls this body. The program loaded into this body is to link your soul with the singularity and adapt port commands... but it is absolutely impossible to create you out of thin air, let alone your personality."
"…………"
After hearing these words, Verlaine remained silent for a long time, without saying a word.
Despite his defeat, he was still forced to kneel on the ground by the countless subspace cubes controlled by Rimbaud, his hands bound, his head bowed, his light golden hair disheveled and dull, stained with blood that had not yet dried, showing none of the imposing presence of the European [Assassin King].
Mary Shelley did not speak, nor did Rimbaud urge her.
Finally, a dry, hoarse laugh slowly escaped from Verlaine's throat, like the cool raindrops about to fall, cast by the bright beams of light stretched into thin beams between the clouds when the sun is shrouded in darkness.
Are you trying to convince me that I am indeed a human being?
Verlaine spoke slowly, then turned to ask about Mary Shelley's identity.
"Who are you?"
“I am Mary, Mary Wollstonecraft Goodwin Shelley. You can call me Mary or Shelley.”
Mary Shelley puffed out her cheeks and said in a soft voice, “Don’t let my appearance fool you, I’m the most skilled psychic in Britain, a genius, and no one dares to disagree… Hmph, they all call me Dr. Wollstonecraft.”
“Wostoncrab… well, I have indeed heard of you. [The Clock Tower Attendant] seems quite afraid that I have my eye on you.”
When Verlaine looked at her with his light iris-colored eyes, the emotion he conveyed was no longer overly distant. "Who invited you here?"
Mary Shelley couldn't have suddenly traveled from England to Yokohama to comfort him for no reason, and she even brought along a manuscript from over a decade ago.
“Fyodor… no, it should be Fedia. He actually has a dual personality. The one I met was the benevolent one.”
After Mary Shelley finished speaking, she remembered the more common way Ye Yihe was addressed: "A few years ago, he came to me specifically to find out the contents of 'The Secret of the Gentle Forest'."
“…”
After a moment's hesitation, Verlaine remembered that he had indeed made a deal with Ye Yihe before, exchanging the final chapter of the Artificial Ability Operation Guide, "The Secret of the Gentle Forest," for the lives of the Sartre Bernhardt family.
He didn't actually have any hope for the deal and soon forgot about it—he also didn't plan to go back and kill Bernhardt and the others, simply assuming that he had suddenly lost interest.
Just like that little apartment where Bernhardt's grandmother lived, he never went back after his identity was exposed.
"So, this is 'The Secret of the Gentle Forest'?" Verlaine chuckled self-deprecatingly. "That's quite a contradiction."
The instruction manual for him focused on how to control him and the monster inside him in the first half; however, the final chapter suddenly changed its style, revealing that he was actually a human.
Upon hearing the familiar document title, Rimbaud's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.
He was the one who destroyed the final chapter back then, so he had naturally seen its contents—but he didn't intend to let Verlaine know, lest he exacerbate the other's already sensitive unease.
"No, I don't know what the final chapter is about either. What I just said is only what I know."
Mary Shelley shook her head and carefully put the manuscripts she had just spread out back down, one by one, and neatly folded them.
"Later, I discovered that a researcher in Japan was also following in Pan's footsteps to research artificial superhumans, so I told Fei Jia about this lead." — She said, "Fei Jia should know, after all, after he came here, well, that researcher died mysteriously..."
Although Feda later disappeared as well... The Fourth Research Institute of Japan insisted that he had completed the procedures to end the exchange in advance, but she never saw him return. Instead, she was bombarded with information by Agatha.
In retrospect, it's possible that Fedia's personality switched to Fyodor at the time, and that person had no intention of coming to find her.
When it comes to Japanese researchers specializing in artificial special beings, Rimbaud and Verlaine immediately thought of one person—the one who successfully cultivated Nakahara Chuuya in the [Arahabaki Project].
"However, I don't think that document is of any essential value. Just as I don't believe that you can only be qualified to live in this world as a human being."
Taking advantage of Verlaine's inability to fight back while he was subdued by Rimbaud, Mary Shelley simply said everything she wanted to say in one breath, "So what if he's not human? I had a big fight with the Shepherd back then, and I was furious that he wanted to sacrifice innocent lives just to try to explore the pinnacle of supernatural science."
"But right now, you are right in front of me, in such a dazzling manner."
Finally, Mary Shelley couldn't resist reaching out and touching Verlaine's cheek.
The cubes conveniently bypassed her hand, creating a gap that allowed her to pass through—Verlaine didn't avoid them either, but merely watched her movements with his eyes.
And so, in that warm, intertwined touch of skin against skin, Mary Shelley gave Verlaine a radiant smile.
"Although this statement comes many years late... in my opinion, your birth deserves the blessings of the entire world, Verlaine."
"You yourself are an unparalleled miracle."
For a long while, Verlaine just stared at her blankly without saying a word.
“…”
"…………"
"Oh, Paul, are you crying?"
“I didn’t, Rimbaud. You’re not allowed to speak.”
Verlaine, who had turned his head away, didn't turn his gaze back for a long time.
The street was quiet. Mary Shelley considerately stepped back two paces, tidied the stack of manuscripts, and carefully placed them back into her handbag.
Beside her, the tall and slender Adam stood guard without leaving her side. Although his face remained serious, he was still wearing the apron he hadn't had time to take off. At this moment, his bionic eyes were focused on Verlaine, slightly adjusting the focus as he collected data.
"Rimbaud, let go of me."
The wounds on his body still irritated his nerves, causing a sharp, dull pain. Verlaine coughed out a pained gasp before finally saying, "I won't do anything more."
After carefully assessing the situation and determining that his family and friends no longer harbored any intention to attack, Rimbaud withdrew the subspace restraints surrounding him.
“When we get back to the detective agency,” he said, “there are skilled doctors there who can help heal your injuries.”
Because of Crystal's healing abilities, he dared to fight alongside Paul so recklessly.
Although it was basically Verlaine who was taking the beating... Rimbaud could extend the subspace into an invisible membrane that isolated space, covering his entire body.
Therefore, without that special hat, Verlaine, unable to open the 'door' and release the singularity, could only launch physical attacks enhanced by [gravity], unable to break through this insurmountable barrier.
Before coming to Yokohama, Fyodor only said that a dangerous person had his eye on Chuuya, whom he regarded as a younger brother, but did not reveal the specific name.
It seems that the "demon" had long intended for them to kill each other.
Finally freed from the constraints of the subspace, Verlaine braced himself against the ground and, after a moment, managed to stand up.
The moment his gaze fell upon Adam, the other party took the initiative to introduce himself, "This machine is codenamed Adam Frankenstein, model 98F7819-5. It is the first humanoid autonomous intelligent high-speed computer created by Lord Shelley."
“It’s a computer that can sing and dance,” Adam added. “It can also tell corny jokes and cook.”
Verlaine: "…………"
His gaze fell quietly on Mary Shelley, as if to say—you specially built a robot that can think on its own, just so that it can sing, dance, cook, and tell corny jokes.
"Do, what to do,"
Mary Shelley crossed her arms in protest, looking back defiantly. "Is there a rule that says robots can only fight and can't enjoy life? Adam can even grow flowers!"
“No, not at all.” Upon hearing this, Verlaine smiled slightly and looked away. “I was just curious.”
"The military police and intelligence agents from the Special Abilities Division will be here soon," Lanbo reminded them.
"We should go back first."
"Huh, go back? No need."
—Just as the words were spoken, a light, airy voice, as light as a feather, came from Dazai Osamu, who was walking towards them with Chuuya and the others.
But what he said was anything but lighthearted, causing Verlaine and Mary Shelley to both choke up.
"Congratulations on finding your long-lost mother! Congratulations!"
"What...what are you saying, Dazai-kun...!"
"...Mother..."
Verlaine seemed thoughtful as Mary Shelley watched her expression turn to shock.
Meanwhile, Dazai, who was drawing out his congratulations at the end of his sentence, suddenly turned his head and glanced at the orange-haired boy next to him, changing the subject abruptly.
"Speaking of which, should Zhong also go and adopt one?"
Chuuya stared at the bandaged bastard who was trying to persuade him to acknowledge his family, his expressionless tone gradually turning threatening.
"I can also help you recognize one again, want to give it a try?"
Dazai blinked innocently. "Oh, never mind then, I don't have that need."
Chuuya snorted coldly.
This guy really loves to stir up trouble!
"Dazai-kun just said we don't need to go back to the detective agency," Rimbaud asked, "What did he mean...?"
"Ah, I almost forgot to continue this topic."
Dazai Osamu tilted his head. "Of course, it's because all of this was part of Fyodor's plan."
Rimbaud was stunned: "Even Verlaine could be defeated by me?"
“That’s right,” Dazai Osamu said, “because Fyodor’s goal was not to kill us through Verlaine at all.”
"I don't need to explain how big the commotion would be if two Transcendent-level combatants fought, do I?"—He wagged his finger, pointing at Verlaine and Rimbaud from a distance, "Besides, your identities aren't exactly secretive, especially after your personal abilities were released."
This was an unavoidable, open conspiracy. Fyodor's calculations were not about Verlaine's determination to take back Chuuya, but rather about how they had to stop Verlaine's actions for this purpose.
Whether it's Rimbaud or Chuuya, whoever is in charge of confronting Verlaine, their revealed true identities are a ticking time bomb.
In particular, Verlaine's bounty for "The Assassin King" has long been on the lists of high-risk supernatural criminals in various countries, the kind that would make any government gasp at the mere sight of him.
After all, two years ago Verlaine had gone to assassinate the Queen of England, who was heavily protected by the Clock Tower Attendants—if it hadn't been a double who died, it could have been considered that he had succeeded in the assassination.
"At this moment, the core high-ranking officials of the government are holding an emergency meeting," said Osamu Dazai, who had just finished a phone call with Sakunosuke Oda.
The exceptionally skilled Oda Sakunosuke had been tasked with infiltrating the government to monitor its movements. Given the Special Abilities Division's position within the organizational structure, they were not yet able to obtain the most confidential core information.
“We, no, the entire Armed Detective Agency, will be regarded as rioters colluding with foreign thugs.”
Dazai spread his hands and announced in a rather casual tone.
"Get ready to start your escape, everyone."
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