Player Reload

Current time, Baijing time 3:21 A.M.

Li Cheng adjusted his wristwatch timer and added an extra layer of protective goggles outside the Information Integration Glasses.

A vast area was cleared in the Automated Three-Dimensional Warehouse, surrounded by rows of multifunctional high-speed digital cameras mounted on tripods.

These cameras are named "Spirit Recognition" and are the flagship model of Prometheus. Besides high-speed filming, waterproofing, dustproofing, and radiation protection, they come with a 3D laser modeling function.

More importantly, their image sensor photoreceptor units are mixed with spirit stone powder materials, able to capture "the macroscopic coherent state projection caused by quantum decoherence not being fully completed in the information field of a deceased advanced biological entity," commonly known as ghosts, spiritual bodies, or souls.

It is said that this technology comes from the old horror game "Zero Red Butterfly," while others claim it comes from the movie "Ghostbusters." Regardless, its effectiveness is absolutely worth the price.

Some works shot with this camera, such as the short video series "Global Store-exploring: Ghost King Takes You to Stay in Haunted Houses,"

the live short drama series "The Dead Me Embarks on a Deadly Revenge Path,"

and the variety show series "Ghost Marriage: Let's Fall in Love Season 7,"

are quite popular on player forums, where users can pay to watch the latest three episodes in advance.

Li Cheng was preparing experimental equipment when he heard a serious voice from behind,

"Test object: Epic Item 'Mercy Soul Song.' Test Content: Investigate the effects boundaries and hidden rules of 'Mercy Soul Song.' Researchers: Li Cheng, Gray Rain."

Turning his head, he saw Gray Rain had somehow donned a lab coat, a brown sweater underneath, wore fine-framed gold glasses, and her lower half was clad in a pencil skirt, stockings, and high heels.

"???"

Li Cheng was full of questions, "What are you doing?"

"Doing the experiment with you, of course."

Gray Rain replied confidently, "I saw on the forums that Legendary Items are exceedingly rare, basically the level of treasures kept safe by major guilds. Even for a Level 35 powerhouse with outstanding contributions to the guild to borrow,

they need to write a bunch of reports, attend symposiums, council meetings, and hearings. They're afraid of any mistake.

If this 'Mercy Soul Song' messes up, attaches a soul to a landmass or even Mother Earth, I can help ensure your safety by your side."

"Alright then."

Li Cheng's eye twitched; firstly, even if he drained all his spiritual power, it wouldn't be possible to attach a soul to a landmass. Secondly, if Earth truly gained a soul, even a hundred Li Chengs and Gray Rains wouldn't be enough to withstand Earth casually shaking off some surface soil, triggering a 9.5 magnitude earthquake and burying them.

However, since Gray Rain had this intention, it was better than her multitasking—simultaneously browsing short videos, following manga shows on schedule, harvesting in mobile games, watching virtual idol livestreams, and assigning AI to write homework etc.

"Stand behind the camera and make a record."

Li Cheng instructed, and put on the Mercy Soul Gloves, picking up... a fresh cucumber from the table.

Following a silent guidance, Li Cheng closed his eyes, the invisible power started from his right palm, penetrated the metal glove, and seeped into the cucumber.

"Detected spiritual body signal!"

Gray Rain was suddenly invigorated as the camera clearly captured a mass of invisible and intangible "air" inside the cucumber. Its level was close to that of small mammals like rabbits or hedgehogs.

Li Cheng put down the cucumber, quietly waited for half a minute, with no change.

"Hey?" Gray Rain was a bit disappointed, "I thought this cucumber could grow a mouth to speak, first biting cockroaches with its mouth, stimulating the cockroach's central nervous system with its tongue to make the cockroach carry it. Gaining free mobility."

"What kind of Pickle Rick is this."

Li Cheng rolled his eyes, grabbed a kitchen knife, and chopped the cucumber into pieces, "Now what?"

Gray Rain glanced at the screen, "Hmm... the spiritual body signal dissipated."

The signal disappearing proved that the spiritual body would be killed.

Li Cheng pondered for a moment, put down the cucumber, and took out a hollowed-out Halloween pumpkin carved with a ghost face, and repeated the process of imbuing it with a soul.

This time there was a change; the pumpkin slowly started to move, making a "snarling" instinctive gesture but couldn't interact with the outside world.

"I think I get it now."

Li Cheng stroked his chin, "The cucumber didn't have any additional reactions after developing a soul because it's inherently just a plant fruit without sensory organs.

But the Halloween pumpkin head, since it has artificially carved eyes and mouth, is conceptually more 'alive' than a simple cucumber, hence it can exhibit anthropomorphic actions.

At the same time, as the pumpkin head lacks a nervous structure and cognitive functions, it acts solely on instinct."

Li Cheng measured the sweetness level and found that as the pumpkin head kept moving, the sugar content of its flesh subtly decreased—indicating that an object producing a soul would consume its energy like a living creature.

Since plants work, how about dead animals?

"Get a chilled duck out."

Li Cheng instructed Gray Rain to fetch a featherless, gutless chilled duck from the freezer and gently touched it with the Mercy Soul.

A strange scene unfolded: the chilled duck actually opened its eyes and shakily stood up, strangely making quacking sounds despite lacking lungs.

"Oh my goodness."

Gray Rain was dumbfounded, the scene was overly bizarre, only to see the resurrected duck following its instincts, burying its head in eating chopped cucumber, though its abdomen was cut open, whatever it ate leaked out.

Li Cheng stroked it once more with his palm, the chilled duck instantly froze and fell to the ground, losing life.

He thoughtfully remarked, "Currently explored three hidden rules of 'Merciful Soul.' First, the Soul-giver does not naturally possess control over the soul-imparted object."