DPM Chapter 84-Seeing Through
Translated by Snowfall77
Who had cut open the skin and the flesh? Dug out the liver? Scooped out the heart? Sliced the organs to put them under a microscope?
Who, when Luo Ying had been faced with divorce and getting her research stolen, had sincerely given her aid?
Who had pulled strings with the military for Luo Ying’s sake? Who had served the military faithfully? And who, in the end, had been betrayed by the military?
Luo Ying’s thoughts were chaotic, her whole body uncontrollably trembling. She started recalling every little detail of the past few days.
Someone had told her that Qinglong had gone missing, and that in retaliation, the Night Shard was threatening to blow up the moon. She hadn’t taken it to heart, only intent on wielding her scalpel to carefully dissect the hard-won carcass.
When she’d extracted the man’s eyeballs, had she had even the tiniest bit of tenderheartedness?
So many years she’d been working like this. Even when confronted face to face with the tree monster in the dark forest, had she ever acknowledged the sins she’d committed?
Burying her face in her hands, Luo Ying’s tears flowed out between her fingers. What could she do now?
Deceive Ye Fan, as the military had requested? She’d always thought the military’s course of actions correct, completely approving. But now, for the first time, all her conviction was gone, leaving her empty.
What was she actually pursuing? What was worth the ultimate result turning out to be killing her own friend in order to dupe someone she considered family?
So what should she do? Tell the Night Shard the truth?
Luo Ying’s ears rang with the military’s words—please assist us, help the Federation……help yourself. What would happen if the Night Shard learned Qinglong was already dead? Found out how Qinglong had died? Would he really be able to forgive the Federation? Or Luo Ying?
Yes. Qinglong had been her friend, and the Night Shard was like her younger brother. But what about the people around Luo Ying? Shouldn’t she consider them, the people she’d worked with for years? They’d renounced Ouyang Yi to follow her. How could she let the Night Shard hurt them in his anger? Were Qinglong and the Night Shard the only ones she cared about, and her co-workers were her enemies?
The situation was already like this. No one could have imagined it’d turn in such a way.
All Luo Ying could do was try to make it better.
“The Federation cannot return to Earth. You must have heard by now that the curvilinear theory formula is confirmed. A new ship will be built within the month. We’ve selected our new planet. That’s right, you’ve already assessed it and ascertained that there should be no dangerous lifeforms. It’ll be suitable for human survival. Thirty light-years away from this moon, that’s far enough that the Night Shard will never reach us.”
“This time we won’t abandon anyone. The ship will make the jumps back and forth to take everyone away.”
“But if the Night Shard interferes, what about us ordinary people? What happened ten years ago shouldn’t happen again.”
“From this point on, there’ll be no more involvement with the Night Shard.”
“Let him be the king who reigns over Earth. We’ll seek a new life elsewhere. Bygones will bygones, the old scores written off.”
“Therefore, you, please reconsider. For the sake of peace, in order for more people to safely leave.”
Luo Ying thoughts of these words, shivering head to toe. Slowly standing up and walking out of her research room, she stopped in the corridor, looking up through its transparent ceiling. In the sky hung a distant blue planet, emanating a soft light.
The Earth……
She slightly raised her wrist and spoke into her communicator, giving the military her reply: “I have no interest in this. I won’t help you trick him……”
" "There was a long silence from the other side. Mimicking Qinglong required willing participants. If Luo Ying was unwilling, they couldn’t allow her to be involved. The Night Shard would detect it.
Finally the other side said: “Very well, we will respect your choice. However……we still have a small request. You do not interfere in this situation. You do not inform the Night Shard. You abide by the confidentiality agreement between us since the beginning. And……” The other’s voice abruptly laid it out, “If memory serves, Dai Rong personally signed that agreement with you.”
Luo Ying didn’t answer, watching two soldiers march directly towards her. Her reply would be meaningless either way.
She turned her communicator off as the two soldiers stood before her and saluted: “Professor Luo, begging your pardon, please let us temporarily store your communicator for you. When we depart the moon, it will be returned to you.”
Powerless, Luo Ying removed her communicator and handed it over: “Here, here you go. It doesn’t matter, I have nothing to miss.”
With one hour to go before Mozun’s deadline, Ouyang Yi again expressed to his willingness to give the deception a try.
Qinglong’s corpse was given the Restoration Department, where, using Qinglong’s skull, the workers quickly created a virtual image.
Using a motion capture device, Ouyang Yi began training himself.
Standing in the middle of a hall, Ouyang Yi watched the screen that showed him all the various angles of the virtual Qinglong.
Ouyang Yi lifted his hands, the virtual Qinglong lifted his hands. Ouyang Yi smiled, the virtual Qinglong immediately smiled.
People who’d met Qinglong started offering their suggestions.
“No, his vocal tones were steadier.”
“Try to look more angry and worried, you’ve been imprisoned.”
“He didn’t touch his nose like you’re doing. Don’t do that.”
The time had come for the Night Shard’s meeting with Qinglong, both sides feeling apprehensive.
Mozun, Wu Xingyun, Liu Meng, and a few other mutants huddled together before a screen in Xi’an, hoping to get a sense of Qinglong’s actual situation.
Unfortunately, the Qinglong they saw didn’t look good. His face was gaunt, eyes traced with red resentment, and he was thinner than before.
It seemed the Federation had not been good to him.
Beside Qinglong stood the Federation President, but Mozun felt a tremor of surprise that Ouyang Yi was nowhere to be seen. Though Mozun wasted no more thought on it, being too worried about Qinglong.
“How are you?” Mozun asked the Qinglong on the screen.
“Not that good, they……aren’t very friendly to me.” Ouyang Yi skillfully merged into his role.
“I’m just happy you’re still alive! I thought for sure they’d dissect you and study you. But it seems you only got beat up a little.” Mozun didn’t sense anything particularly off about Qinglong, so in an effort to lighten the mood, he spoke jokingly.
“They are trying to use me for research. Yesterday they drew some of my blood……”
“You, don’t get agitated. And by all means, don’t get impulsive. I……the coming days are still long, and we’ll get you back to Earth as soon as possible. When the time comes, blood will answer for blood.”
“What can I do? I’m in the hands of the Federation. They want to use me to make you surrender, though I know you won’t.”
“You must hold firm! That’s what you can do.”
Ouyang Yi thought to himself it was a pity he hadn’t become an actor. Apparently he had an innate talent for it.
Though, on second thought, if he’d been an actor, he wouldn’t have gotten a spot on Noah’s Ark.
Then, on a sudden impulse, Mozun said: “Qinglong, turn around! Do one punch.”
Compliant, Ouyang Yi moved in a circle, supposedly to try and throw a punch in the air, only to feign physical weakness and fall to the floor.
Mozun cast aside the last of his inner doubts, fully convinced that the man on the screen was Dai Rong himself.
Until Wu Xingyun unexpectedly leaned over and whispered in Mozun’s ear: “Ye Fan, I remember……No, I mean I think Federal technology is very advanced. What if they have a 3D imaging system? This image of Dai Rong could just be someone acting. You know—like sci-fi movies, that kind of thing.”
Briefly taken aback by Wu Xingyun’s misgivings, Mozun then intently sized the Qinglong on the screen up.
How did Mozun determine whether this Qinglong was fake or not?
Detecting Mozun’s hesitation, Ouyang Yi’s instincts told him something wasn’t good.
“Don’t worry,” Mozun told the screen’s Qinglong, “I will be sure to get you back. Hey, remember that year we were hunting together, we caught that ocean monster, and you wanted to divide everything in half?”
Both Ouyang Yi and the other Federal people around him knew it immediately. The Night Shard was testing.
So what was the correct answer?
Ouyang Yi’s thoughts were jumbled, but he chose to gamble: “That never happened! Night Shard, are you trying to sound me out? Why am I up here, suffering hardships, if not because of your unkind attitude towards the Federation? The expression of the screen Qinglong twisted in indignation, a perfect imitation of the original.
Appearing ashamed, Mozun sputtered: “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have……”
“It’s too late for I should or shouldn’t have! I get it. You want me to die up here on the moon so you can take over all my territories and people. Am I right? How much did I help you back then? Who got you two ship tickets for Noah’s Ark?”
Mozun’s expression became even more crestfallen: “General Dai, rest assured, I will rescue you!”
At that point, the communication signal was cut. Up on the moon, Ouyang Yi and the Federation brass breathed great sighs of relief.
People at once rushed to Ouyang Yi, cheering and praising him for a job well done. The video conversation had ended, and in spite of everything, the Night Shard had not pressed the Federation any further. It had to be acknowledged, Ouyang Yi had done the Federation a great service.
Meanwhile, on the Earth, a dark cloud seemed to hang over Mozun’s face.
He cast a quick look at Wu Xingyun and Wu Xingyun returned it.
“Something’s wrong.” They spoke in unison.
Dai Rong didn’t speak like that. He didn’t criticize like that. Never mind the fact that Dai Rong was the last power on Earth that could contend with Mozun’s strength. In these last days, their relationship, the trust between them, was absolutely not that fragile.
Furthermore, the incident with the ocean monster had indeed happened, and Dai Rong had indeed insisted they split the gains equitably.
Now the thing they couldn’t determine was whether or not Dai Rong was even still alive.
“What makes you so certain something happened to Qinglong?” Liu Meng broke his silence, “If by any chance you’re wrong, Qinglong might get hurt even more.”
“I think Qinglong must be in a very wretched state,” Peng Dawei’s voice was heavy, “That’s why they don’t dare show him to you. But surely they’d be too afraid to kill him.”
Wu Xingyun didn’t believe it. He understood the Federation’s style, and felt he’d caught on. “I’m very worried that Qinglong is already dead. If not, with their medicine and technology, they would have found a way to get him on his feet, even if it meant injecting him with stimulants, morphine, or what not. They can do that.”
“If I could just get a hold of the right someone in the Federation and ask.” Liu Meng sighed.
Mozun contemplated for a long time, then raised his head and looked at the screen, the corner of his mouth hooking up in an ambiguous smile: “Then let’s say hello to Ouyang Yi.”
DPM Chapter 84-Seeing Through
Translated by Snowfall77
Who had cut open the skin and the flesh? Dug out the liver? Scooped out the heart? Sliced the organs to put them under a microscope?
Who, when Luo Ying had been faced with divorce and getting her research stolen, had sincerely given her aid?
Who had pulled strings with the military for Luo Ying’s sake? Who had served the military faithfully? And who, in the end, had been betrayed by the military?
Luo Ying’s thoughts were chaotic, her whole body uncontrollably trembling. She started recalling every little detail of the past few days.
Someone had told her that Qinglong had gone missing, and that in retaliation, the Night Shard was threatening to blow up the moon. She hadn’t taken it to heart, only intent on wielding her scalpel to carefully dissect the hard-won carcass.
When she’d extracted the man’s eyeballs, had she had even the tiniest bit of tenderheartedness?
So many years she’d been working like this. Even when confronted face to face with the tree monster in the dark forest, had she ever acknowledged the sins she’d committed?
Burying her face in her hands, Luo Ying’s tears flowed out between her fingers. What could she do now?
Deceive Ye Fan, as the military had requested? She’d always thought the military’s course of actions correct, completely approving. But now, for the first time, all her conviction was gone, leaving her empty.
What was she actually pursuing? What was worth the ultimate result turning out to be killing her own friend in order to dupe someone she considered family?
So what should she do? Tell the Night Shard the truth?
Luo Ying’s ears rang with the military’s words—please assist us, help the Federation……help yourself. What would happen if the Night Shard learned Qinglong was already dead? Found out how Qinglong had died? Would he really be able to forgive the Federation? Or Luo Ying?
Yes. Qinglong had been her friend, and the Night Shard was like her younger brother. But what about the people around Luo Ying? Shouldn’t she consider them, the people she’d worked with for years? They’d renounced Ouyang Yi to follow her. How could she let the Night Shard hurt them in his anger? Were Qinglong and the Night Shard the only ones she cared about, and her co-workers were her enemies?
The situation was already like this. No one could have imagined it’d turn in such a way.
All Luo Ying could do was try to make it better.
“The Federation cannot return to Earth. You must have heard by now that the curvilinear theory formula is confirmed. A new ship will be built within the month. We’ve selected our new planet. That’s right, you’ve already assessed it and ascertained that there should be no dangerous lifeforms. It’ll be suitable for human survival. Thirty light-years away from this moon, that’s far enough that the Night Shard will never reach us.”
“This time we won’t abandon anyone. The ship will make the jumps back and forth to take everyone away.”
“But if the Night Shard interferes, what about us ordinary people? What happened ten years ago shouldn’t happen again.”
“From this point on, there’ll be no more involvement with the Night Shard.”
“Let him be the king who reigns over Earth. We’ll seek a new life elsewhere. Bygones will bygones, the old scores written off.”
“Therefore, you, please reconsider. For the sake of peace, in order for more people to safely leave.”
Luo Ying thoughts of these words, shivering head to toe. Slowly standing up and walking out of her research room, she stopped in the corridor, looking up through its transparent ceiling. In the sky hung a distant blue planet, emanating a soft light.
The Earth……
She slightly raised her wrist and spoke into her communicator, giving the military her reply: “I have no interest in this. I won’t help you trick him……”
" "There was a long silence from the other side. Mimicking Qinglong required willing participants. If Luo Ying was unwilling, they couldn’t allow her to be involved. The Night Shard would detect it.
Finally the other side said: “Very well, we will respect your choice. However……we still have a small request. You do not interfere in this situation. You do not inform the Night Shard. You abide by the confidentiality agreement between us since the beginning. And……” The other’s voice abruptly laid it out, “If memory serves, Dai Rong personally signed that agreement with you.”
Luo Ying didn’t answer, watching two soldiers march directly towards her. Her reply would be meaningless either way.
She turned her communicator off as the two soldiers stood before her and saluted: “Professor Luo, begging your pardon, please let us temporarily store your communicator for you. When we depart the moon, it will be returned to you.”
Powerless, Luo Ying removed her communicator and handed it over: “Here, here you go. It doesn’t matter, I have nothing to miss.”
With one hour to go before Mozun’s deadline, Ouyang Yi again expressed to his willingness to give the deception a try.
Qinglong’s corpse was given the Restoration Department, where, using Qinglong’s skull, the workers quickly created a virtual image.
Using a motion capture device, Ouyang Yi began training himself.
Standing in the middle of a hall, Ouyang Yi watched the screen that showed him all the various angles of the virtual Qinglong.
Ouyang Yi lifted his hands, the virtual Qinglong lifted his hands. Ouyang Yi smiled, the virtual Qinglong immediately smiled.
People who’d met Qinglong started offering their suggestions.
“No, his vocal tones were steadier.”
“Try to look more angry and worried, you’ve been imprisoned.”
“He didn’t touch his nose like you’re doing. Don’t do that.”
The time had come for the Night Shard’s meeting with Qinglong, both sides feeling apprehensive.
Mozun, Wu Xingyun, Liu Meng, and a few other mutants huddled together before a screen in Xi’an, hoping to get a sense of Qinglong’s actual situation.
Unfortunately, the Qinglong they saw didn’t look good. His face was gaunt, eyes traced with red resentment, and he was thinner than before.
It seemed the Federation had not been good to him.
Beside Qinglong stood the Federation President, but Mozun felt a tremor of surprise that Ouyang Yi was nowhere to be seen. Though Mozun wasted no more thought on it, being too worried about Qinglong.
“How are you?” Mozun asked the Qinglong on the screen.
“Not that good, they……aren’t very friendly to me.” Ouyang Yi skillfully merged into his role.
“I’m just happy you’re still alive! I thought for sure they’d dissect you and study you. But it seems you only got beat up a little.” Mozun didn’t sense anything particularly off about Qinglong, so in an effort to lighten the mood, he spoke jokingly.
“They are trying to use me for research. Yesterday they drew some of my blood……”
“You, don’t get agitated. And by all means, don’t get impulsive. I……the coming days are still long, and we’ll get you back to Earth as soon as possible. When the time comes, blood will answer for blood.”
“What can I do? I’m in the hands of the Federation. They want to use me to make you surrender, though I know you won’t.”
“You must hold firm! That’s what you can do.”
Ouyang Yi thought to himself it was a pity he hadn’t become an actor. Apparently he had an innate talent for it.
Though, on second thought, if he’d been an actor, he wouldn’t have gotten a spot on Noah’s Ark.
Then, on a sudden impulse, Mozun said: “Qinglong, turn around! Do one punch.”
Compliant, Ouyang Yi moved in a circle, supposedly to try and throw a punch in the air, only to feign physical weakness and fall to the floor.
Mozun cast aside the last of his inner doubts, fully convinced that the man on the screen was Dai Rong himself.
Until Wu Xingyun unexpectedly leaned over and whispered in Mozun’s ear: “Ye Fan, I remember……No, I mean I think Federal technology is very advanced. What if they have a 3D imaging system? This image of Dai Rong could just be someone acting. You know—like sci-fi movies, that kind of thing.”
Briefly taken aback by Wu Xingyun’s misgivings, Mozun then intently sized the Qinglong on the screen up.
How did Mozun determine whether this Qinglong was fake or not?
Detecting Mozun’s hesitation, Ouyang Yi’s instincts told him something wasn’t good.
“Don’t worry,” Mozun told the screen’s Qinglong, “I will be sure to get you back. Hey, remember that year we were hunting together, we caught that ocean monster, and you wanted to divide everything in half?”
Both Ouyang Yi and the other Federal people around him knew it immediately. The Night Shard was testing.
So what was the correct answer?
Ouyang Yi’s thoughts were jumbled, but he chose to gamble: “That never happened! Night Shard, are you trying to sound me out? Why am I up here, suffering hardships, if not because of your unkind attitude towards the Federation? The expression of the screen Qinglong twisted in indignation, a perfect imitation of the original.
Appearing ashamed, Mozun sputtered: “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have……”
“It’s too late for I should or shouldn’t have! I get it. You want me to die up here on the moon so you can take over all my territories and people. Am I right? How much did I help you back then? Who got you two ship tickets for Noah’s Ark?”
Mozun’s expression became even more crestfallen: “General Dai, rest assured, I will rescue you!”
At that point, the communication signal was cut. Up on the moon, Ouyang Yi and the Federation brass breathed great sighs of relief.
People at once rushed to Ouyang Yi, cheering and praising him for a job well done. The video conversation had ended, and in spite of everything, the Night Shard had not pressed the Federation any further. It had to be acknowledged, Ouyang Yi had done the Federation a great service.
Meanwhile, on the Earth, a dark cloud seemed to hang over Mozun’s face.
He cast a quick look at Wu Xingyun and Wu Xingyun returned it.
“Something’s wrong.” They spoke in unison.
Dai Rong didn’t speak like that. He didn’t criticize like that. Never mind the fact that Dai Rong was the last power on Earth that could contend with Mozun’s strength. In these last days, their relationship, the trust between them, was absolutely not that fragile.
Furthermore, the incident with the ocean monster had indeed happened, and Dai Rong had indeed insisted they split the gains equitably.
Now the thing they couldn’t determine was whether or not Dai Rong was even still alive.
“What makes you so certain something happened to Qinglong?” Liu Meng broke his silence, “If by any chance you’re wrong, Qinglong might get hurt even more.”
“I think Qinglong must be in a very wretched state,” Peng Dawei’s voice was heavy, “That’s why they don’t dare show him to you. But surely they’d be too afraid to kill him.”
Wu Xingyun didn’t believe it. He understood the Federation’s style, and felt he’d caught on. “I’m very worried that Qinglong is already dead. If not, with their medicine and technology, they would have found a way to get him on his feet, even if it meant injecting him with stimulants, morphine, or what not. They can do that.”
“If I could just get a hold of the right someone in the Federation and ask.” Liu Meng sighed.
Mozun contemplated for a long time, then raised his head and looked at the screen, the corner of his mouth hooking up in an ambiguous smile: “Then let’s say hello to Ouyang Yi.”
