"How do you feel?"
Holding a glass of breakfast milk, Miki looked at Orochimaru and asked, taking a small bite of bread.
Orochimaru, in front of the computer, slowly tapped the keyboard with one finger. Hearing her, he looked up at Miki.
He looked haggard, with thick dark circles under his eyes, but his gaze was full of excitement.
"I'm fine! I feel great!"
Orochimaru said excitedly.
"Genes are truly wonderful! Look at them! So beautiful!"
Is that so?
"That's good," Miki said, biting into her bread.
She had taught Orochimaru all day yesterday, and now he was able to operate the computer quite proficiently.
Orochimaru was both intelligent and diligent.
Miki was very satisfied; she had not misjudged him.
However, the progress was still too slow.
At the very least, single-hook fishing needed to become net-casting.
It just meant people would have to work a bit harder.
"Orochimaru, Shadow Clones can improve work efficiency," Miki said casually, "especially for repetitive recording tasks like these."
"Right! You're absolutely right! Shadow Clones! Why didn't I think of that!" With that, Orochimaru began to form hand seals, and four Shadow Clones appeared.
"Is that all?" Miki was a little disappointed. If only there were a thousand or eight hundred Shadow Clones...
"What do you mean, 'is that all'?" Orochimaru's face flushed, and he formed hand seals again.
Another five Shadow Clones emerged.
Theoretically, work efficiency had increased tenfold.
But, would he die?
Miki stared at Orochimaru for a moment and asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Who do you think I am! I am Orochimaru!" Orochimaru said, then turned his head, engrossed in the computer, no longer interested in looking at Miki.
His other clones each opened instruments and began to immerse themselves in the work at hand.
Taking a sip of breakfast milk, Miki watched this scene, pulled up a chair, sat down, crossed her small feet, and happily dangled her toes.
He's so sensible!
It was time to add a few more machines; these weren't enough for Orochimaru to use.
Miki turned her chair, opened her computer, and started playing 'Can you last thirty seconds?'.
With nothing to do, it was quite boring.
Miki stared blankly at the computer. Her main purpose now was to see if Orochimaru had any questions she could answer.
In a little while, she would be able to let Orochimaru work independently.
With Orochimaru's eagerness to learn, he should fully grasp it in a couple of days.
Then she would have less to worry about.
"Orochimaru."
"What!" Orochimaru asked unhappily; he was in the zone right now.
To Miki, he looked...
Exactly like an internet-addicted teenager.
"Ask if you don't understand," Miki said, opening a drawer, finding a spirit lamp, lighting it, and placing a beaker on top.
She'd brew another cup of tea.
Miki pulled out a small packet of tea leaves and took out an exquisite porcelain cup with the Caihuatang logo.
Her small feet dangled under the table.
Indeed, this was the life.
"No! Don't bother me!" Orochimaru replied without looking up.
She felt like hitting him a little...
Miki glanced at Orochimaru.
He was highly focused, completely immersed in that world.
In this state, after observing him for a few more days, if he didn't die, she would let him be.
Miki didn't want to see a dead snake next time she came; after all, sustainable development was important.
"I said, remember to rest," Miki said indifferently, "There's a lounge next door. The fridge has everything. Supplies are replenished once a week. Eat on time. Anyone would think I'm abusing you. Remember to get some sun, don't always stay still. Do some cleaning regularly, it's good exercise..."
"Shut up!" Orochimaru snapped coldly.
Alright!
Miki picked up her freshly brewed tea.
Her small feet dangled happily under the table.
These past few days, there hadn't been much to do. Her main work had been handed over to Orochimaru, so Miki began to ponder new tasks.
First, she thought...
Miki thought for a moment, then pulled out the floppy disk for the mini-game, inserted the document disk, and checked her research notes.
Speaking of which, these computers were still very primitive, but they were sufficient. Although they couldn't connect to the internet, and there was no internet, they had a fairly rich set of functions.
This was irrelevant; Miki began to read the content of the document.
Application and Development of Senjutsu.
This research also required the support of a genetic map. Without a doubt, the Slug possessed genes adapted to Senjutsu Chakra.
Finding this gene would undoubtedly be a shortcut.
So far, Miki could perceive Natural Energy with the help of the Slug and could absorb it through various means.
The problem was that she would die after absorbing it!
Therefore, she couldn't use Senjutsu Chakra.
Miki had indeed created species capable of using Senjutsu Chakra, but these species didn't know Senjutsu, and Miki couldn't use the Senjutsu Chakra they produced, which was a huge headache.
The Slug's Senjutsu Chakra needed to flow into her own body to be applied, so simply producing Senjutsu Chakra was useless.
It felt like she was trapped in a dead end, with no way out.
Though it wasn't entirely without a solution.
Through extensive trial and error with test subjects, figuring out the application methods of Senjutsu Chakra should be faster than determining the genetic map.
But there weren't enough available living test subjects.
Propping her chin, Miki stared at the computer, deep in thought.
In this process, some interesting little things had inadvertently appeared.
One of them, Miki called a Mechanical Insect.
This type of insect had evolved mechanical structures in its biological makeup, but its essence was still biological.
In other words, it had evolved gears.
Similar organisms exist in nature. The advantage is that mechanical triggers are faster than nerve conduction, and they have more power.
This gave Miki an idea.
Therefore, Miki created such a thing.
A mechanically modified insect.
It applied puppet techniques.
Miki took out the large beetle from the drawer.
This beetle had been artificially mechanically modified by Miki.
It only looked like a beetle on the outside; its entire body was made of metal. Its dark shell reflected a metallic sheen, it could walk on six legs, and its legs had transmission wheels.
Its essence was to make the insect wear an artificial mechanical exoskeleton.
The power source and control system inside it was the Slug.
Unlike the Chakra control lines of traditional Puppet Masters.
Through Chakra transmission, it gained continuous energy, and Chakra triggered various internal transmission devices, forming complex functions through the meshing of gears.
Half-biological, half-mechanical, very cyberpunk.
Therefore, it didn't require a neural conduction system.
Nor did it require a new respiratory system.
It used mechanical kinetic energy transmission.
This meant it could be scaled up proportionally to become a giant mechanical insect.
By adding more Slug power units, it could provide more powerful Chakra.
It could also use Senjutsu Chakra, developing sealing techniques to form various functions.
Problem one: it was expensive.
Problem two: mechanical maintenance.
Problem three: mineral resources.
Problem four: large-scale manufacturing.
Finally, Miki didn't know much about machinery.
There were many books on mechanical power on the market, but she would have to spend time learning.
And mechanical insects were too delicate, making them prone to malfunction. With this level of technical ability, wouldn't it be better to build planes and cannons?
After the small beetle on the table started, it walked clumsily on the table, always on the verge of breaking down and falling.
Achieving this level already required considerable effort. Considering the cost-effectiveness, Miki had to regretfully abandon this path.
However, making organisms evolve mechanical-like structures was a promising idea.
For example, a cannon barrel.
"Um, I don't quite understand this part..." At this moment, Orochimaru's conflicted voice sounded.
Miki looked at Orochimaru's two large dark circles under his eyes.
"Shut up, look for yourself! Use your brain!"
Miki happily dangled her small feet.
The genetic map was a long-term project, and Miki was not in a hurry.
Orochimaru closed his mouth and stared at Miki.
You just said to ask if I didn't understand.
He looked like he wanted to speak but didn't dare.
Miki turned her back to Orochimaru, engrossed in playing with the mechanical small beetle on the table.
Watching the small beetle constantly fall and stubbornly get back up under Miki's fingers, Orochimaru couldn't help but think of himself.
So similar...
Like an insect, he was being manipulated.
"If I have to look myself, then I will."
Orochimaru muttered softly.
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