Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 559 - 502: Mechanical Servant

Chapter 559: Chapter 502: Mechanical Servant
BOOM!
In a secret room on the fifth floor of Dongjun Tower, an explosive sound echoed intensely.
Li Ang tumbled out, his back slamming heavily against the wall, igniting ripples of golden light.
Pain swept over his entire body, but there was no time to dwell on it. Li Ang heavily slapped his palm against the wall and shot out as if spring-loaded, his figure slipping through a gap in the giant python’s long tail as he fired several talismans from the Radiant Crossbow in his hand.
The Exhausting Talisman released roaring flames, scorching the scales on the python’s body.
Such flames, capable of melting copper and iron, erupted vigorously, causing the surface of the python’s scales to glow faintly orange-red.
But that was all. It merely affected the surface of the scales; the layers beneath remained unharmed.
Until... the second wave of talismans.
Li Ang stomped his foot on the constricting snake tail that attempted to ensnare him, narrowly avoiding its grasp, and once again pulled the trigger of the Radiant Crossbow towards the snake’s body.
The talismans shot out, passed through gaps between the snake’s coils, and struck precisely the area affected by the Exhausting Talisman.
Cloud Patrol Realm, Extreme Cold Talisman.
HISS—
The moment the talisman touched the surface of the scales, it sprayed out a visible plume of frigid air, instantly extinguishing the blazing flames and coating the scales with a layer of white frost.
From extreme heat to extreme cold, the scales in that area immediately made a crackling sound. As the python twisted its body, the scales flaked off like broken tiles, revealing the snake’s raw flesh beneath.
Now is the time.
Li Ang’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he slightly opened his left palm, facing backward.
Telekinesis poured from his palm, propelling Li Ang as he dove towards the giant python.
He stomped heavily on the smooth, scale-less patch of the snake’s body, aimed the Radiant Crossbow at point-blank range, and pulled the trigger.
BANG!
A sphere of light burst forth. The fierce explosion’s shockwave blew Li Ang backward. He landed on his back, sliding a long way across the ground, leaving a visible track.
Li Ang could feel his clothes tearing against the recessed Prohibition engravings on the room’s floor. Just as he was about to hit the wall, he released his Telekinesis to stop himself.
In the distance, the glare from the Radiant Crossbow’s light sphere explosion gradually dissipated. At the python’s vital spot, a pit nearly two meters in diameter and an arm’s length deep remained. Inside, the brown sludge and silk threads that composed the snake’s body could be seen.
Though the injury was severe, it was not fatal.
"ROAR!"
The giant python roared and lunged straight at Li Ang.
Li Ang dusted off his clothes and slowly stood up, seemingly oblivious to the giant python rushing towards him, and deaf to the chilling sound of its scales scraping the ground.
The python slithered towards him, its maw aiming to bite down hard on Li Ang.
CLANG!
The instant the snake’s maw touched the line on the room’s floor, all Prohibitions triggered at once, extending countless chains that firmly bound the python.
Even each of its sharp fangs was entwined with fine chains.
Li Ang’s figure was reflected in the giant python’s vertical pupils.
It struggled fiercely. The chains around its body rattled loudly, causing ripples to spread across the room’s walls and floor, but it was unable to break free from the Prohibitions.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the python finally gave up.
Its form melted and collapsed. Copious amounts of brown sludge seeped through the chains, fell to the ground, and gathered into a sphere.
The chains in the room gradually turned into motes of light, then dispersed and vanished.
"..."
Li Ang gazed at the lump of brown sludge, stroking his hair, brushing dust from its strands.
"Zaiqian Sixth Year, November 20th, thirteenth experiment, failure."
A mechanical, hoarse voice spoke from beside Li Ang, "Congratulations. You lasted for one-fifth of 15 minutes this time, setting a new duration record."
Li Ang turned his head towards the source of the sound.
It was one of the Puppet Servants commonly seen in Dongjun Tower. He was clad in the grey uniform of the Academic Palace staff and moved stiffly, his plain, unremarkable middle-aged man’s face as rigid as a statue or a mask.
Due to the multitude of Mutated Objects within Dongjun Tower, these artificial Puppet Servants were used to complete the tedious and complex maintenance tasks.
Some of these Puppet Servants might be even older than the Mountain Master. Who knew how many years they had seen?
"Ati."
Li Ang said tiredly.
"Here."
The Puppet Servant nodded.
"Shut up."
Li Ang took new clothes from the Puppet Servant and changed out of his tattered ones.
The Mountain Master had other matters to attend to, and this entire floor of Dongjun Tower was sealed off. To prevent Li Ang from dying silently within Dongjun Tower, or from recklessly entering rooms and activating other Mutated Objects, the Mountain Master had specifically summoned this Puppet Servant to watch over him.
Ostensibly watching over him, the Puppet Servant actually just stood beyond the line that would trigger the Prohibitions, recording how long Li Ang lasted against the brown sludge.
"Sorry, can’t do that."
The Puppet Servant shook his head. "Ati has no mouth. The vocalizing apparatus is located in the abdominal cavity. Furthermore, Ati’s task is to guard Mr. Li and record information."
Li Ang glanced at the Puppet Servant; this Puppet Servant was indeed strange.
He could not only speak through a voice apparatus but also provide human-like responses based on others’ words. And his tone... was especially punchable.
Was this the Academic Palace’s version of artificial intelligence?
Li Ang surveyed the Puppet Servant from head to toe, and couldn’t help but think of that street rumor.
Legend had it that these Puppet Servants in Dongjun Tower were made from death-row inmates of the Chang’an City jail. That’s why they looked so human.
It had to be said, the technology tree of the Academic Palace was really strange.
Even though they had only just started developing trains and airplanes, Dongjun Tower housed moving Puppets with human-like reactions.
"Mr. Li?"
The Puppet Servant said, "You have rested for thirty breaths. Do you wish to continue the trial?"
Li Ang rubbed the bridge of his nose and complained, "I’ve barely rested for two minutes and you’re already rushing me! Even a workshop foreman isn’t as heartless as you."
Ati replied calmly, "Tired? You’re supposed to be. Comfort is reserved for the rich."
Li Ang almost choked on his own saliva. "...Seriously, where do you get these sayings? Did you come up with them yourself?"
Ati shook his head. "Puppet Servants have no will. All their speech is derived from the teachings uploaded by past sages of the Academic Palace."
"Those past sages of the Academic Palace were really quite audacious, then."
Li Ang complained, "Did they also program you with sayings like, ’It’s okay to accept your fate, but not to just lie down and give up’?"
Ati answered, "No. But I do have: ’My fate is my own to control, not Heaven’s’; ’Your fate is mine to control, not Heaven’s—to destroy you is but a wave of my hand’; and ’To defy Heaven may still leave a path to life, but to defy me is a dead end.’"
...Fine then.
Li Ang said wearily, "Let’s just leave it at that for now. I’ll come back in the afternoon."
"Very well."
The Puppet Servant nodded rigidly. "However, Mr. Li, compared to yesterday and the day before, your progress in damaging the demon has improved by less than seven percent. At this rate, I’m afraid you won’t be able to complete the task before the time limit expires."
"...I got it."
Li Ang waved his hand and pushed open the door to leave the room.
The Puppet Servant followed him out and locked the room door with a key. After trying the handle three times to confirm it was locked, he returned the key to Li Ang.
He himself, pushing a cart, then went to other rooms to maintain and manage the Mutated Objects.
Li Ang watched the Puppet Servant’s back disappear into the adjacent room. Through the door crack, he could vaguely see a wooden stand inside, upon which rested a Bronze Artifact covered with a white cloth.
The Puppet Servant took cleaning tools from the cart and began wiping dust from the surface of the Bronze Artifact, mumbling something under his breath, though Li Ang couldn’t make out what he was saying.
The fifth floor of Dongjun Tower was indeed strange.
Li Ang shook his head, descended the stairs, and left Dongjun Tower.