“Soul… ” Ye Xuan murmured softly.

“What?” Roland did not hear him clearly.

“It’s nothing.” Ye Xuan smiled and said nothing.

He found it difficult to describe his feelings at the moment; was it joy or heaviness?

He did not know.

If it is true, then after such a day comes, the human consciousness can break through the limitations it has faced in the past and upload itself from the human body to this magnificent miracle, no?

It is simply a perfect match.

A substance that can exist eternally but is unconscious, and human beings who possess consciousness but cannot pursue immortality…

After freeing themselves from the limitations of their bodies, human beings can obtain the ability to exist for eternity from the miracle.

Isn’t it the birth of the ‘soul’?

But he doubted it for the first time. Is it truly a good thing?

Is it really the soul I have dreamed off?

Can it really bring the so-called happiness and fulfillment to humanity?

After a long time, he closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. “Mr. Roland.”

“Yes?” the man replied.

“Regardless of whether your idea can be realized, how can you be sure that we can control the ‘unknown substance’?” Ye Xuan asked. He had always been the killjoy, and he was specifically in charge of doing so. When the crew committee daydreamed occasionally, he would remind them that their dreams were not as beautiful as they seemed to be.

He was responsible for understanding the brain, understanding desires, and reminding everyone of the price they must pay for their desires. “Or rather, how can you ensure that the ‘unknown substance’ is willing to let us use it?”

Roland was momentarily stunned.

His expression stiffened.

“Mr. Ye, we have established a preliminary bridge of communication with the unknown substance through sounds,” he explained somewhat deliriously. “It is just the beginning, and it has rich potential.

“I believe that the day when we can master their power will come!”

Ye Xuan couldn’t help but laugh.

It made Roland’s expression darken more and more.

“What’s this?” Ye Xuan asked. “The cycle of history?

“Since you said that it’s a bridge, surely you understand that a bridge is two-way?” Ye Xuan looked into his eyes and asked, word by word, “Bai Nan is not here, so I will replace him and ask questions he should ask.

“How can you guarantee that they will not expel humans after they develop self-awareness, like the scrap metal on the Earth? Or rather, have you forgotten the lessons we’ve learned? Or do you simply want to demonstrate your abilities and create a monster that we cannot control?”

“But, but… they are different! Thoughts don’t even exist for them… They don’t even have any self-awareness at all, and they are simply responding to the sound!” Roland retorted agitatedly.

“No.” Ye Xuan spoke and refuted him firmly, “Messages produce rules, rules form regularities, regularities become fixed responses, and through the responses, a logical machine is formed.

“The Greeks say that human beings have no souls, and that ‘consciousness’ is nothing but a self-deceiving illusion. ‘Self’ is nothing more than a reflexive machine formed by countless logic gates after countless times of learning and failing. Aren’t you creating all this?”

“I… I… ” Roland was sweating profusely, looking at Xiao Huan, his gaze hopeful.

“Alright, Mr. Roland, why don’t you leave first.” Xiao Huan put out his cigarette. “Your work is done.”

Roland left.

He left very reluctantly.

It was like he was being driven away.

In the silence, Xiao Huan got up and walked towards the elevated storage cabinet in the corner.

“Before leaving the Earth, my family had deep roots across many industries, and thanks to my parents, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I continued enjoying the legacy they left for me until this day, and… this is the only one left.” He reached in and took out the box, which contained a bottle of orangish-yellow alcohol.

“200 years ago, just as synthetic wines destroyed the traditional wine-making industry, it was one of the bottles of the last batch of whiskey brewed with natural grain. I don’t think I can taste anything special from it, but now is a good time, we can have some.” He opened the bottle.

The liquid was fragrant.

It rippled between the ice cubes and the cup.

He placed the cup in front of Ye Xuan, but Ye Xuan did not touch it.

“Why did you ask me to come here?” Ye Xuan kept his head low. “I am just a psychiatrist, a committee member chosen just to make up the number. You want to tell me in advance so that the motion can be passed by the committee?”

“And if that’s the case?” Xiao Huan looked at him calmly.

“If that’s the case, I will not agree.” Ye Xuan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “It is up to you whether to let me live or die, Captain, I am grateful for your help, but allow me to retain my pessimism.”

“Forget it and raise your glass.” Xiao Huan sat opposite him and looked at him with indifference. “I have more than enough people to kill today, and you aren’t included, so you can rest assured.”

Ye Xuan opened his eyes in surprise and looked at him.

It was not because he was not on the death list, but because of the previous part of his sentence…

For so many years, Xiao Huan has always seemed like a cheerful man with a full beard. He has a bad temper and is rather blunt, but he abides by his principles. Many dislike him, although they dare not say it out loud. Everyone knows that he is indisposable to the colony ship.

It is he who has been suppressing the conflicts between everyone in a gentle yet irrefutable manner, maintaining the peaceful coexistence of the committee members, and overcoming the challenges faced throughout the long years.

He has never meted out illegal punishment, nor has he shown favoritism by acting impetuously.

Well, he is born to achieve great things and to be a big brother who takes the lead. You can dislike him, but you will definitely admire his ability and graciousness.

Now, he is going to start killing people.

So, who will die?

Bai Nan? Liu Dongli? Zhao Qian? Or even more people?

Ye Xuan found it difficult to accept such a huge, impactful decision.

“I am very tired now, Ye Xuan, I just want to find someone to have a drink together, so don’t overthink with your little brain anymore, and raise your glass.” Xiao Huan maintained his pose and looked at him.

Ye Xuan was silent for a long time and raised his glass.

They clinked their glasses, producing a crisp sound.

The golden liquid rippled between the ice cubes, like a sea of gold with glaciers in it.

“Cheers.” Xiao Huan lifted his head and finished his drink.

When Ye Xuan put down the glass, he suddenly experienced heart palpitations, and faint auditory hallucinations sounded from afar.

It sounded like the cries of countless people.

But no sound could be transmitted through the distant space, and the last cries of living things would only disappear in the cold universe.

What was left was nothing but a brilliant spark.

Ye Xuan turned back sluggishly and felt his vision darken.

He saw it.

Outside the large porthole, in the deep space, a huge flame had suddenly risen in the distance.

It was a colony ship.

Across the distance of tens of thousands of kilometers, he could not see its outline clearly. All he could see was only a dazzling spark, like a flower blooming in the silent darkness.

A flower of iron and fire.

Blood and broken bones evaporated, dissipated, and fell toward the earth, turning into silver drops of burning rain.

“Steven…” Ye Xuan still remembered the name of his friend.

At the moment, he finally understood something. He looked back stiffly at Xiao Huan, his expression convulsing. “You killed them?”

“Yeah, after all, it’s very troublesome to temper with some stuff.” Xiao Huan poured himself another glass and sipped the fine whiskey from his hometown, savoring the taste. “Although colony ships are equipped with large weapons to deal with meteorites and meteors, once they are activated, they will be detected by the other ships’ radar.

“It really took me quite a lot of thinking.

“Fortunately, everyone is traveling along the same trajectory, and one can always leave some gifts for the next ship along the road.”

“You’re crazy!” Ye Xuan screamed shrilly and roared. This time around, he really felt that he was like a sissy, behaving hysterically beyond words, because the vilest murderer in human history was right in front of him, having just personally admitted to the murder of the 410,000 people on board the South American colony ship!

“In a madhouse, the one who goes crazy first has an advantage, doesn’t him?” Xiao Huan looked up at Ye Xuan’s pale face, then ordered, “Sit down, don’t waste my time, if you want to know why…”

Ye Xuan suppressed his anger and fear and sat back down.

“Take a drink, it’s better for you,” said Xiao Huan.

A glass of whiskey was pushed over to him.

Xiao Huan stated, “All along, many have never known that although the sizes of the colony ships are similar, each colony ship has a different focus.

“For example, the South American colony ship that has just been destroyed is the assault type, armed with 16 large-caliber main guns and 10,000 carrier-based aircrafts, all of which we do not have.

“For example, the Eastern European colony ship on the track in front of us, they have the best life-care equipment, and they will never run out of food and supplies.

“The advantage of the East Asian colony ship lies in the three artificial bits of intelligence we brought from the Earth, namely Tung Wang Kung produced by Taiqing Heavy Industry, Hermes produced by the Zarathustra Laboratory, and Nibelungenlied, which New Switzerland produced specially for us.

“Many may think that one is enough, and the computing power from the three has overflowed, but we are only good at technology.

“We can learn the truth about the ‘unknown substance’ six hours earlier than they do exactly because of it.”

Xiao Huan drank in a manner that could be considered carefree and raised a finger before Ye Xuan. “Now, I have a psychological experiment for you.”

He said, “The world has been destroyed by God.

“Three wrecked ships are drifting in the sea, steered by A, B, C, three people with completely different personalities but are all extremely selfish at the same time. They occasionally help each other out, but only for the sake of having companions in the long and difficult journey to make up for what each of them lacked.

“But now, they have survived the long torment and the torture from the ocean, having found a new piece of land.

“The new land is fertile, with various prey, and even miraculous magic. It can allow one to obtain money, power, and even eternal life, enabling one to create a new world and empire for oneself.

“So, now, away from the island, what would you opt to do, as the first person to discover the truth?”

Ye Xuan was silent.

Isn’t the result clear?

It is exactly like their current situation. It’s just that Xiao Huan used three people to represent the groups of people on board the three colony ships.

In a resource-poor world, human beings form collectives exactly because of their desire to survive, and collectives are selfish by nature. Or rather, man is selfish by nature.

The leader of the collective would do whatever it takes to provide a better life for the members, no matter how heartless it is. Even if the leader does not do so, the people will, through riots, force the leader to make such a decision.

What’s more, magic exists on the land, a road leading to heaven.

If the three parties can maintain a balance, it is not impossible for them to jointly develop the place. But if the North American colony ship discovers the essence of the unknown substance, then as the colony ship with the strongest military power, it will definitely choose to open fire and attack.

Occupy the entire new world for oneself…

Surely there is no shortage of similar things that they have done along the way?

Such is the nature of mankind, the eternal, unchanging law from forests to space.

The law of the jungle.

Human beings are animals in themselves. We are unable to suppress our own animalistic nature, and it is difficult for us to resist the temptation to continue living.

Ye Xuan was crystal clear about it.

Perhaps some individuals were kind and compassionate, willing to cooperate with others from the outside world, but most would not risk their own deaths for the sake of other people.

Xiao Huan did what he should do.

Just like how he always did, he took responsibility for the colony ship, then personally caused the disastrous consequences, namely the massacre.

Ye Xuan need not answer, as he had already figured it all out. Or rather, from the very beginning, he understood that all this would happen, but he dared not believe himself.

At the moment he just felt very tired.

“Why tell me?” Ye Xuan drank the bitter whiskey and looked at the Captain. “Surely you don’t need psychological counseling?”

“You mean, lie in a chair and sleep talk like a little girl? Then? Use the shadows of my childhood and the psychological barriers I face as excuses to run away from the sins I committed? Forget it.” Xiao Huan shook his head indifferently. He was drunk, but his eyes were awake.

“The war is about to begin, Ye Xuan. Make the necessary preparations.” He said, “Later, you will be sent to the safest place on the ship with all the other precious, talented people. It has independent circulatory equipment and materials sufficient for you to live in space or on the earth for 20 years.

“I have already made a will in the central core. When I am dead, you will be the new captain.”

He pulled off a pendant from his neck, and the iron plate on it was engraved with writing. “This is the password for the emergency takeover system. When necessary, Yuan Eryi will follow your orders.”

Sirens sounded, and bright red alarms continually flashed on the ceiling. The prompt indicating that the ship had been targeted appeared.

“The whiskey is all gone, Ye Xuan. Xiao Huan waved. “You should go.”

The door opened, and the heavily armed Yuan Eryi was waiting for him.

“Last question.” Ye Xuan looked at him. “Why me?”

“Because you understand everything I do, no?” Xiao Huan half-smiled, his expression almost ridiculing, but also one that of pity. “Because you understand humans, Ye Xuan.

“So, when necessary, you will do the same, like me.”

Ye Xuan turned and left.

It was as if he was trying to escape.

He was trying to escape from the him that had become the Devil.

Because Xiao Huan was right.

If Ye Xuan had been the captain, he would have done the same.

He only got lucky, for he was not given a chance to become the Devil.

Before the door closed, he heard Xiao Huan’s final words.

The man lay in a chair, gazing at the distant land outside the window, drinking the last bottle of whiskey in the world.

“Ye Xuan, I am really jealous of you.” He murmured softly, “At least you can breathe in the air of the new world.”

…

The door closed.

Ye Xuan closed his eyes, clenching his fists, and said no more.

Only Yuan Eryi patted his shoulders unconcernedly, as if they were good buddies. Yuan Eryi never cared about anyone, he didn’t even care about himself; he only cared about having the opportunity to fight.

At the moment, his chance had come.

“I have learned about everything, Ye Xuan, we have to rely on you now.” Yuan Eryi threw another pack of chewing tobacco into his mouth. Tobacco could soothe his frayed nerves, making his condition somewhat more stable, or at least it appeared to be so. “Let’s go, I will take you to your little room.”

Ye Xuan heard shouts from afar. Someone wanted to rush over to them but was stopped by Yuan Eryi’s subordinates. Those fellas, who, similarly, did not have the slightest bit of sympathy, punched the poor man and slammed him onto the ground, then stepped on him.

It was Roland.

The group used him as a toy for their leisure, toying with him, and even his glasses were crushed under their feet.

He was extraordinarily flustered.

He was shouting Ye Xuan’s name, “Mr. Ye! Mr. Ye! Please bring me along!” He reached out and tried to hold on to Ye Xuan, but was kicked away. But he still refused to give up, and he climbed up from the ground, looking at Ye Xuan.

“At the very least, please take a look, take a look at it!” He threw a stack of materials at Ye Xuan with all his might. The documents scattered in the air, like snowflakes fluttering to the ground.

Ye Xuan did not look at Roland, nor did he intend to speak, and he simply chose to turn at the corner in front.

“Why don’t you understand! Mr. Ye, don’t you know what it means?” Not far away, Roland glared at him fiercely, screaming madly, “After mastering the unknown substance, our technology, our lives, our resources, will improve by an unprecedented extent! We may even be able to enter heaven in our lifetime!

“Think about it, Mr. Ye, the group of machines that drove us from our homes, the artificial intelligence, even if they exhaust all the resources and turn the entire solar system into silicon crystals completely, the computing power obtained will still be less than one-ten-thousandth of the unknown substance!

“With it, we can do everything, we can even… create gods!”

Ye Xuan paused in his steps.

He looked down at the pile of paper at his feet.

“Then, what?” He turned back and looked down at Roland’s deformed face.

It was as if he had seen through Roland’s body and glimpsed the human desire that could never be satisfied. “Kill Him again?”