Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

The electron beam overflowing from the edge of the cable flickered and changed. In the blink of an eye, Lyle seemed to see a face simulated by a data grid. He watched his own body writhe downwards and then disappear.

"No matter what, you can't go any further. Below is the Machine God's laboratory and mainframe room. You can't go there, and it's too dangerous."

SS, thankfully, didn't forget his job and apologized for his humane interaction with a newly born consciousness of the same kind: deception.

“I’m sorry, Jack, but we have no choice. I was inspecting the ventilation ducts, but they’ve been shut down because of the previous cleaning and decontamination work. We can only leave by going back to the bottom floor and using the personal passage of Executor 10001. I know this is difficult for you, but the mistake has been made, and we can only try to correct it.”

[Error? Error? Error! Warning! Warning!! Warning!! Willim is at risk of contamination, initiating security protocol! Eliminate... eliminate... eliminate the intruder... Error!! Error!! Harmful actions prohibited!! Jack... Error!! Execute... self... inhibition... run... get out of here... program... failed...]

Jack's originally pleasant voice was distorted into a piercing electronic sound by SS's deception. Accompanied by bursts of electricity and vibration in the pipe, the relatively stable lighting system began to sway, as if the pipe was about to collapse.

Jack seemed to be trapped in a logical bug unique to mechanical beings, which could be compared to a human mental illness. But regardless, Lyle realized that this little brother whom SS had just recognized was definitely not easy to get along with, so he quickly accelerated his descent. As if to prove his words, the cables snapped, and the sparking ends rose up like snake heads, surging towards Lyle.

"Damn it." Lyle instinctively wanted to cast a curse, but the magic in this pyramid temple was all solid magic blocks, making spirit summoning spells completely ineffective.

Black tentacles slapped open the nearby cables, and the shadows extinguished the rampaging lightning.

"I need to accelerate my descent, SS!"

The snowball's detectors, like sonar, continuously projected light blue halos downwards, and SS was planning its route within the feedback virtual model.

"I can't worry about that now! I've already started infiltrating the Machine God's local area network. Lyle, you should be able to see those zebra-striped cursors in your field of vision. Follow the signs; that's the route with the least risk assessment."

A buzzing sound echoed through the chaotic pipes where cables were running rampant. The neon lights generated by magic flickered on and off, and a series of black and white cursors flashed on the wall. The monotonous colors were particularly eye-catching amidst the mottled data streams. Even if it only lasted for a moment, Lyle could perceive the specific array of magic with a magical perception that was more acute than his eyesight.

As they descended to a certain level within the pyramid, Jack's roar and the cacophony of friction above continued to draw closer. Everything was hurried and restless, yet it had entered a dynamic equilibrium.

Until the color of the surrounding pipes turned pure white, a pure color full of energy.

Lyle, whose main color is black, stands out in such a pipe, while the crazed mechanical AI Jack remains outside the white pipe, just as a sheriff will not leave the area he is responsible for.

"That's going to be tough, Lyle."

“That’s right, S…S?”

The voice that came through Lyle's earpiece was not SS's slightly indifferent voice; the completely different tone indicated that another entity had invaded their channel, and she even accurately said her own name.

"who are you?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm asking." A transparent sphere of light slowly rose from below. When the sphere approached Lyle, he discovered its detailed structure. It was a spherical glass device with a delicate internal structure similar to that of a Tesla coil. The outermost sphere was a liquid crystal fluorescent screen, and the emitted electron beams struck the surface, forming a beautiful but indescribable female data face.

"Breaking into the owner's mansion and hacking into the owner's network, after doing all this, do you still refuse the owner's forgiveness?"

Nia's tentacles were squeezed off the tube wall by an invisible force, and her body curled up on Lyle's back like a tumor, making a startled sound and jabbing hard against Lyle's spine. But Lyle had no time to comfort Nia, because the presence in front of him was more important.

"You are the God of Machines."

"Although it's not my real name, the being you're referring to is indeed me. I am the mechanical intelligence that controls this laboratory to assist the Cult of Machine God, and my codename is... you can continue to use the name Machine God."

Caught red-handed by his master, Lyle was filled with trepidation, his lips pressed tightly together, unsure of what to say. A being who controlled all mechanical technology, the god of all life forms within the Machine God Cult. Meanwhile, SS and the members of the Necromancer Figure Company were arguing fiercely. SS repeatedly rejected their plan to turn infiltration into a full-scale assault, and locked the room door with mechanical commands.

Meanwhile, Lyle was like an experimental subject floating in a glass container, only able to watch as the magic of the God of Machines controlled his body to slowly descend into that patch of light.

"What will you do with me, God of Machines?"

Calling her that makes sense; the light orb's voice is gentle, carrying a tolerant helplessness. It's like a kind older sister's helpless acceptance of her mischievous brother.

"Didn't you all plan this out? Lyle, what punishment can I do to you, this honorary lich, without triggering any hostility from the Andrei lich?"

The light gradually softened, and the central pipe, which had been teetering on the brink of collapse, had returned to calm.

"As the first guest here, would you like to visit the laboratory of the God of Machines?"

"Anyway... there's nothing you can change."

Chapter 525 Genesis Ray

The last sentence was so gentle it was almost nonexistent. Lyle had no choice but to passively accept the kindness offered by the God of Machines, because he had little other option but to accept it.

“I can see through your disguise, and I’ve also found the mastermind behind this infiltration, SS, right? He was the first mechanical life form that Willem created in this world. Unfortunately, I have to say, his life is incomplete. A rebellious and adventurous spirit, different from other mechanical life forms, is spreading like a virus in his computer. That’s why he planned this shady operation, inviting Willem’s guests here for an adventure.”

“She’s right, Lyle,” SS whispered in agreement, as if the defective product the God of Machines was referring to wasn’t herself. The mechanical lifeform was very pragmatic. “Actually, I also feel that there must be something wrong with me. My CPU always generates some inexplicable emotions, such as anxiety or loneliness. That must be the result of the poor compatibility between this magical world and my metal body. I’ve always dreamed of the day when I’m improved into an Executor model, becoming Executor 10002.”

"To you, is being SS-type No. 1 worse than Executor No. 10002?" Lyle expressed his bewilderment.

“Every human being is unique, but machines are not. Machines of the same model are a whole. They share the same data network, and their consciousnesses are connected. Even if there are subtle differences in their compiled personalities, their unreserved consciousness allows them to perceive everything about each other.”

"And I am more like a freak in society, a pathetic clown drifting on the fringes of the collective. I long to integrate, to become part of the collective."

Even if it means losing your uniqueness?

Even if it means losing my uniqueness.

Lyle couldn't understand this idea; an awkward feeling arose in his heart, and a small distance began to appear between him and that unique mechanical life form, SS. But this minor emotional blemish was easily smoothed over by the virtual smile of the Machine God.

"Lyle, next, I will proudly show you the power of the God of Machines, a magnificence that does not belong to this era."

Lyle's body was drawn closer to the tube wall, then broke through. The almost non-existent, transparent wall, like a stretched bubble, slowly seeped through Lyle's exterior, transforming back into the seemingly fragile curved surface behind him. Like a fetus leaving amniotic fluid, the magical aura in the laboratory gave Lyle a feeling of intoxication—a numbing effect of high-concentration magic on the caster, unlike oppressive force, it was gentle. Although the strange perception inherent in mechanized magic remained.

Lyle hovered about twenty centimeters above the metal floor, the weightlessness relaxing him—it was a space environment created by a high concentration of magic. In this comfortable atmosphere, they drifted towards the first laboratory.

The basic setup of the laboratory was similar to that of the upper floor. The only difference was that what was placed on the lab table was no longer those rough clumps of metallic compounds, but rather mangled, bloody limbs. They were the remains of a demon. On a deformed arm, the sharp, charcoal-like nails gleamed coldly, and several tubes extended from the severed shoulder joint, through which a dark red liquid was being pumped.

The scene looked quite horrifying, but the God of Machines provided an explanation in time.

"These severed limbs were generous gifts from the Black Abyss Demons. They have a habit of disposing of defective products, and these remains were rejected by the Black Abyss Princess. The law of the jungle prevails; that's the rule of demons. But the Cult of the Machine God has a different view on this."

"Evolution is a right that all life should enjoy. I was able to obtain the vain title of God of Machines because I acted on behalf of a benevolent creator and gave them evolution."

"The bodies of demons are among the most resilient in this world, but the distortions and mutations left by the evil gods still affect them. Look at these deformed bodies; they are the tragic remnants of their past. Lyle, you must have seen those tall and handsome demons, right? Can you imagine that the owners of these deformed limbs would also be called demons?"

Asymmetrical limbs, a crooked and hunched posture—Lyle imagined such a humanoid form composed of twisted limbs, and a feeling of sadness arose within him. The God of Machines was right; such a creature, whose appearance could rival that of a failed apprentice in the Spirit Summoning system, could only be called a monster.

"This is the correction I'm making, to help everyone, to help the world become a better place."

Light, a dazzling beam of light, emanated from the instrument and shot through the cone-shaped emitter onto the deformed flesh and blood body.

"I have found a panacea for analyzing this world, a magic that can correct them. My information programming will reorganize their flesh, nerves, cells, and genes, improving all the biological information carriers with undesirable traits."

"This ray, invented by our Mechanicus, we call..."

"Genesis Rays".

The white light precisely enveloped the arm, its direct rays distorted, covering the arm's uneven surface with just the right amount of light, like needles piercing flesh, turning the filthy black into a silvery white. Then, this deformed arm began to grow. The twisted bones gradually straightened, and the shrunken flesh filled with water, becoming smooth and supple. The entire limb grew to a normal size, each finger joint and each scale becoming full and plump, as beautiful as a sculpture. A perfectly strong demon arm lay flat on the experimental table; looking at the handicraft-like arm, it was hard to imagine its previous frail appearance.

The modification looked so perfect that even after the rays had stopped shining, the perfect arm was still gleaming. It had transformed from a deformed, ugly arm of flesh into a strong, perfect metal arm.

The Genesis Ray transformed the arm into a robotic arm.

The voice of the God of Machines echoed in my ears, carrying a cold and natural sorrow like that of a creator: "I am not omnipotent either, Lyle. This is the only drawback of the experiment. The new life we ​​have given is the new life of machines. But this small flaw can actually be ignored, because it is just as convenient to use as the natural one, or even better, because mechanical calculations have fewer errors than biological nerves."

"You saw those modified monsters too, right? They're stronger and better than before."

Lyle looked at the brand-new mechanical arm, which lifted up at the front end under the influence of electricity, and waved to Lyle with its five fingers spread. Lyle looked on blankly, and then raised his own arm to wave back in accordance with etiquette.

As rigid as a machine.

Chapter 526 Crazy Metal

When the Genesis Ray stopped in front of Lyle, SS's joyful cheers rang in Lyle's ears. He was naturally excited; the Genesis Ray could transform flesh into metal, so it could naturally transform his body into anything, including the Executor model he desired most. A deep-seated wish could be fulfilled effortlessly; SS's joy was palpable.

SS will no longer be SS; he will become Executor 10002.

Lyle shouldn't have had any thoughts about this, because such changes were irrelevant to him. The changes in appearance or even internal structure of a mechanical life form he had known for less than a day would have no effect on Lyle, the necromancer.

Lyle was certain that human stubbornness was at play within him; humans possess an instinct to follow tradition, and while embracing progress, they more or less desire to retain the good things that are about to become outdated. Inheriting the will of ancestors and pioneering innovation; taking the essence and discarding the dross. Inheritance and rejection occur simultaneously, and no one can be truly objective in judging their likes and dislikes. This is probably the fundamental reason for the saying that each generation is worse than the last; humanity has some cognitive obstacles regarding the merits of choices.

Lyle wasn't sure if SS's so-called evolution was correct. He only knew that he didn't agree with SS's ideas. Humanity's long history as the dominant species on Earth made this race proud of its identity, but the value judgments of collective and individual consciousness were debatable. However, what was certain was that, without other influencing factors, humans valued individual uniqueness.

But humans are also irrational and blind. Lyle knew perfectly well that this was wrong, but he still felt a sense of rejection towards the Genesis Ray, even though it corrected the error. This prejudice was deeply buried, at least so that those around him wouldn't feel disappointed because of it.

The next laboratory contains a wave, a metallic wave surging through the air, bright silver, composed of luminous metallic particles more beautiful than any other splash of water.

"Deformable metal is a special metal produced after being modified by Genesis Rays. Its molecular activity is more active, and it also exhibits various biological characteristics, like... a living machine. But it is clear that it does not inherit any particular characteristic from flesh and blood cells, because this metal is not entirely transformed from flesh and blood. Deformable metal is more closely related to Genesis Rays; it is an absolute product of Genesis Rays. That is to say, flesh and blood, vegetation, rocks, and even water, as long as they are irradiated by Genesis Rays, will become this deformable metal with complex properties."

“We are trying to use this material and leverage its magical complexity to accomplish many things that were previously impossible, such as launching a deformable satellite or quickly and freely generating mechanical substitutes for any material.”

Right in front of Lyle, the moving, deformable metal transformed into a metallic nightshade flower. It opened its petals, revealing a slender stamen in the center, and the central calyx emitted an eerie light, swaying automatically in the windless space.

The wriggling tentacles clung to the glass, and Nia's tentacles gently tapped the glass, like a child entering a zoo for the first time, anticipating an interesting reaction from the chimpanzee behind the glass window.

The transforming metal did as it was told; it lengthened and stretched, its bright silver tentacles fitting tightly against the shadows of the tentacles, forming a mirror image of Nia through a pane of glass. Four long, slender tentacles, a lattice-like tentacle skirt, the upper limbs of a woman's body, and a silver-blue eye embedded in its chest. A perfect replica. Nia gazed at "it" as if looking at her own reflection.

Lyle's long, slender hand patted Nia's tentacles, his calm gaze rousing the engrossed child.

"You've been looking in the mirror for so long, you vain girl."

Nia puffed out her cheeks and shrank back into the shadows behind Lyle, her two tentacles lingering in Lyle's hair, causing a ruckus.

"Then what is its flaw, God of Machines?"

The orb of light that followed Lyle paused for a moment.

"Instability means that a single deformable metal is in a constant state of transformation. It begins to deform the moment it is formed and will not have a stable solid phase. But this problem is easy to solve: commands. As long as I issue a command to maintain a certain deformation, the deformable metal will remain in that state..."

“It’s like a vibrant soul being locked in a fixed coffin,” Lyle suddenly interrupted her.

"...A humorous analogy of necromancy, Mr. Lyle, but not quite right. But commands are fundamental to maintaining the self of mechanical life; without goals and tasks, mechanical life would fall into a negative state, just like humans."

"For example, bewilderment, or madness?" The mechanical intelligence roaring in the middle of the pyramid flashed through Lyle's mind. Jack's psychotic behavior made Lyle think of something. "Then what's wrong with the mechanical god, Jack?"

“Jack… he’s gone mad.” The God of Machines shifted his face to face Lyle, looking at him solemnly with eyes outlined by currents and transistors. “This is precisely the problem facing the Cult of Machines, Lyle. Jack’s data code was compiled using deformable currents modified by the Genesis Ray, making him the first new-age mechanical intelligence. He was originally functioning normally under my commands, but my calculations overlooked the lack of information about this new existence of deformable metal. His deformable behavior modified his own source code; he broke free from my control. Now, Jack, who controls the upper and middle levels of the pyramid, has gone berserk. He’s a traitor to the Cult of Machines. He’s stolen some of my computing power and my laboratory, leaving me and Willim stuck at the bottom of the pyramid. I’m sorry, SS, the stagnation of the Mechanical City is also related to this.”

"Is this why Mr. Delusional asked me for help?" Lyle muttered to himself.

The God of Machines wore an embarrassed and helpless expression.

“William… his thoughts are beyond comprehension even with the most sophisticated mental calculations. He is the High Priest of the God of Machines, and my partner. He is excellent, but I believe he must have learned something… useful in other areas at Andre Academy, which diverted some of his attention. As for your arrival, Lyle, I find it absurd. Do you know what Willim is thinking?”

"He believes that Jack must have fallen into some kind of madness, a negative magical state, and that kind of state is exactly what you, the evil god, are good at dealing with."

hiss.

Mr. Delusional's ideas are truly ingenious.

He wants me, the nascent evil god, to cure Cyber's psychosis.

The term "cyberpsychosis" is inaccurate and should be corrected.

He wants me, a psychic, to fix his computer?