The Final Odyssey, the fantastical journey of a cat boy

"Staff Officer Singleton, it's a pleasure to have you at the meeting—"

"Don't call me that." As the surrounding scenery became completely clear and stable, Fish realized that he was sitting in a large room, which looked somewhat like the interior of a spaceship or a reinforced bunker. Apart from some large boxes painted in military green and sets of military communication equipment, there was almost nothing around him. An adjutant in a dark blue uniform was standing beside him; like Singleton, he was also an android.

"But……"

"I am no longer a staff officer, and the expeditionary fleet has been disbanded."

"Yes, but the legacy issues caused by your expeditionary fleet continue to plague us," said a man who appeared to be of high status on the screen in front of him. After briefly searching Singleton's memories, Fish realized that the man was the current chairman of the Solar System Council. "We have now confirmed this."

"you mean."

"Do you remember the 'Tomb Slayer' that you successfully captured during the raid on Shura Star ten years ago? We have conducted thorough research on it."

"Oh, you mean those bloodthirsty spectators paid to turn the 'Tai Sui' samples we captured into new 'toys' for their arena? If I remember correctly, these 'toys' are indeed very popular." Singleton sneered, speaking sarcastically, "This research is certainly 'thorough'."

"Well... to be honest, there's nothing we can do about that," the chairman shrugged. "You see, the entertainment industry currently accounts for 56% of the entire solar system's economic activity. It's proven that after all the struggle for survival has ended, humans... at least a large portion of humans, will be driven by their simplest and most primal urges for pleasure. This is precisely the meaning of survival that evolution has given us..."

"Should I remind you that evolution itself is aimless? It simply happens that through sexual reproduction and genetic drift, your gene pool 'just happens' to have certain specific genes, and then the carriers of these genes just happen to survive in specific external environments," Singleton said, resting his chin on the back of his hands. "It's that simple."

"We don't have time to discuss these philosophical and evolutionary biological issues right now, Mr. Singleton," the chairman said. "In short, while it's true that most research related to 'Tai Sui' is funded by major entertainment giants, thanks to their massive investments, our understanding of 'Tai Sui' has greatly improved."

"Oh, for example?"

"Your reasons for demanding the withdrawal of the expeditionary fleet at that time have now been proven to be entirely true and reasonable... In fact, if the action had been any slower, we might have made a grave mistake many years ago."

“Yes,” Singleton said. “At the time, our operation was only planned to eliminate or capture ‘The Grandmaster,’ but when we captured it and used the signal blocking device temporarily developed by the technical department to isolate it from the Gestalt consciousness of ‘Tai Sui,’ I noticed that it was not simple at all—it had anticipated the human invasion of Shura Star from the very beginning, and even looked forward to the invasion. Moreover, I also noticed that it, theoretically as the apex of the ‘Tai Sui’ system, actually had an upstream data stream. This indicates that ‘The Grandmaster’ was also receiving instructions and reporting progress from ‘some being.’”

"Yes, it was based on these judgments that you concluded that 'the situation on Shura Star has changed unexpectedly' and issued the order to abandon the battle," another man said beside the chairman of the Solar System Council. "Current events have proven that your decision was correct."

"What exactly did your research discover?" Singleton asked.

"This...it all started with the planet itself, known as Shura Star," the Chairman said. "Have you noticed that when the expeditionary force was fighting on Shura Star, their communication systems were frequently jammed without their knowledge? And the entire planet was constantly covered by a thick, ubiquitous purple mist?"

“That’s right.” Singleton nodded. “In the report, I mentioned that this fog was abnormal.”

"Yes, subsequent research proved that it was a kind of 'non-living intelligent being'," said a woman wearing a research department badge around her neck.

"Non-living...intelligent beings? Damn it, you mean something like me, an artificial being..."

"I'm afraid not," the female scientist replied. "Those entities weren't 'made' by anyone, but rather came from natural evolution. To be precise, they were complex signal systems generated by radiation from the radioactive decay of elements in the Earth's core, a mixture of special inorganic compounds in the planet's atmosphere and deep crust. The transmission of these signals through the crustal and atmospheric materials with different electrical conductivities unexpectedly formed something akin to a complex circuit, and ultimately, through large-scale information exchange, gave rise to consciousness and intelligence."

"Is that even possible? It sounds like a strong wind blowing a bunch of airplane parts up and turning them into an airplane." Singleton shook his head.

"In fact, this analogy is not appropriate," the female scientist said. "Airplane parts require special processes and specialized equipment to assemble; simply relying on 'wind' is not enough. However, through laboratory simulations, we have confirmed that the 'non-living intelligent existence' on Shura Star could very well be born under certain stringent conditions."

"By the way, we call them 'Shura'," the chairman of the Solar System Council added.

"That doesn't sound like a good name," Singleton commented. "So, they created 'Tai Sui'?"

"That's right. It seems that 'Shura' most likely manipulated the evolution of native life on the planet, transforming some very ordinary parasitic organism into the later 'Tai Sui'," the chairman said. "And, unfortunately, contrary to our predictions, they are not actually 'probes' or 'weapons' in the strict sense. At least, that's not their primary purpose."

"Oh?"

"Or to be more precise, neither 'surveying other planets' nor 'occupying the bodies of invaders and destroying them' is the ultimate purpose of the 'Tai Sui' being created," the female scientist explained. "To be more precise, these weaponized parasites are merely a kind of 'test'."

"Hmm, a test? A test of what?" Singleton was puzzled.

"Don't forget, 'Shura' are not real living beings. To them, the instinctive behaviors of living beings, such as 'defending the land' and 'expanding to find resources,' are 'understandable but meaningless,'" the female scientist said. "What they really crave is only one thing: a body that they consider good enough."

"What is the definition of 'good enough'?"

"This is the purpose of the 'test': the 'Tai Sui' will first act as a living probe capable of autonomous reproduction and proliferation, searching for intelligent beings with mortal bodies in the universe. Then, they will release various information and clues to the candidates, enticing them to actively explore, or even invade, Shura Star."

"I understand... Next, these candidate species need to prove that they can avoid being swallowed and assimilated by the 'Tai Sui' in battle, and even defeat them," Singleton, as a tactical advisor, quickly deduced the remaining facts, "If they can do that..."

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"At that time, 'Shura' will try to assimilate them. In other words, it will possess individuals of these tested and proven sufficiently superior races," the chairman said. "It's that simple."

"Of course, when you defeated the 'Tomb Overlord' on Shura Star, the human race had already passed the test. Countless 'Shura' have their eyes on us... If you hadn't organized a retreat immediately, I'm afraid that within a few days, all the humans in the entire expedition fleet would have been possessed by them."

"However, now that we've already withdrawn..."

"At least it seems we should be safe. Unfortunately, that's not the case," the female scientist said. "The 'Shura' are clearly very fond of humans—more importantly, they also obtained the geographical coordinates of the solar system during their battle with the expeditionary fleet. Currently, they are heading towards the solar system."

"Wait... how is this possible?"

"Nothing is impossible. As a special 'energy form containing complex information,' the 'Shura' can actually travel through the universe much more easily than ordinary life forms—after all, they don't need to worry about things like life support systems or long journeys," the female scientist replied. "The reason they stayed on Shura Star before was simply to use the ability to 'find and invade this planet' as a screening method for races that could provide 'ideal bodies.'"

"Tsk... So, they look down on races that can't successfully conduct interplanetary travel?"

"That's right. Fortunately, research on the 'Tomb Slayer' indicates that the 'Shura' does not seem to possess the ability to travel faster than light, which means that their maximum speed to reach here is also limited. Before arriving on Earth, the 'Shura' would need to spend approximately one thousand Earth years."

"Since we still have so much time, why bother me?" Singleton shrugged. "We could simply escape the solar system, and then..."

"In fact, this possibility has already been explored. But the conclusion is that it's not safe enough," the chairman of the Solar System Council replied. "Even if we escape, the traces we leave behind will be enough for 'Shura' to detect our movements and pursue us. Therefore, we must find a way to prevent them from doing so."

"I guess you've already come up with an idea?"

"Yes." The speaker snapped his fingers. Then, a fox-eared girl with brilliant platinum blonde hair and nine fluffy tails walked up to him, staring blankly as he handed her a cup of coffee. "This was my idea."

"Of course it's useful. For example, it could take our place in being possessed by 'Shura'." The Speaker smiled slightly. "Lord Singleton, although you are an android, you must be familiar with the story of humanity. You know the plots in popular novels and comics where 'enslaved inferior races bravely resist and defeat their oppressors,' right?"

"Yes. So?"

"This young lady's name is Alicia Lyndenhild. She is the finest product among the new human toys manufactured by Lyndenhild Biotechnology Corporation." The Speaker looked at the beautiful fox-eared girl with a blank expression, then glanced at Singleton through the screen. "The advertising slogan for this type of product is, 'She can do anything except give birth'... I think it's time to test the true value of 'can do anything'."

"Your Excellency Speaker, you wouldn't be planning to...?"

"At this time next year, Miss Alicia will realize the root of the current tragic situation of the New Humans. Eighteen months later, she will meet a special New Human, the future 'Guide.' According to the setting, this New Human's master is a military enthusiast, therefore, she has undergone extensive special combat-oriented modifications and possesses ample military knowledge. She will become the love of Alicia's life and guide her to fight in the right way. Finally, they will also meet a knowledgeable advisor to assist them in leading the New Humans in a great uprising."

"Oh God...please tell me, my role is that advisor!" Singleton shuddered.

"Of course not. Your consciousness will be transplanted into the 'Pathfinder'—who is more suitable than you to lead the new human rebels to victory in a war where the odds are stacked against them?"

"Hmm... this matter is still being kept secret, right?"

"More or less. After all, you have to play your part completely, or you might get exposed—besides, the people living on Earth now are among the most decadent, corrupt, and pleasure-seeking in the entire universe; their value is extremely low," the Speaker said, stroking Alicia Lyndenhild's vacant, furry, pointed ears. "Miss Alicia won't remember what happened today, but after today, she will develop a firm belief in rebelling against the old humanity. And then…"

"Then, in the next few years, the new humans will start a rebellion under her leadership and defeat the old humans on Earth?" Singleton speculated. "The other old humans in the solar system will be 'shocked' and scatter and flee, and then Earth will belong to the new humans."

"Correct answer. In that case, the 'Shura' who arrive here a thousand years later will conclude that while old humans like me are perfect, new humans are even more perfect than old humans—those who use the 'Tai Sui' to test other civilizations in wars will naturally conclude that a force capable of defeating a 'perfect race' is clearly superior."

"In that case, humans who flee to the depths of the starry sea won't be hunted down, right?" Singleton asked.

"Of course. In short, are you ready to embark on this adventure as a great hero for the future of all mankind?"

"no."

"I knew it... Wait, wait?!" The Speaker was stunned—clearly, he hadn't expected Singleton to give such a negative answer. "Why?"

"Because I want to know, does your so-called 'all of humanity' include these new humans?"

"Well... forgive my bluntness, but the New Humans aren't really human. They are our creations, and they should serve us, just like the poultry and livestock that humans eat." The Speaker stroked Alicia's nine tails and shrugged.

Singleton remained silent.

"What's more, we're going to hand over Earth to them for a thousand years. If they can find a way to deal with 'Shura' during that time, that would be even better. At that time, we old humans will completely give up ownership of Earth and even the solar system, and it wouldn't hurt to give this homeland to them."

"Really? Well..." Singleton said in a low voice.

"Giving up ownership of Earth" sounds incredibly generous, but he knows very well that humanity's home planet is already in the midst of a dangerous, total climate catastrophe, and its resources are depleted. For humanity in this era, it is no longer a place that absolutely must be preserved.

However, he still nodded.

"I accept the proposal... however, I also have some requirements..."

In the next instant, the surrounding scenery began to be swallowed up by a white light in Fish's eyes.

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