Chapter 713: The Seasoned Qingxiang Practitioner
Sister Siwei nodded, then turned to look at me before asking, "So what you're saying is... if we could replicate a display screen just like that one, it would significantly reduce Brother Yingxiong's workload."
"Yes." Brother Gu Yu nodded. "While the idea is good, I visited many people in 'Daocheng,' and none of them knew anything about how that display screen works. Moreover, from what they remember, it seems the screen has been standing there since very early on."
"A display screen that can hear the supernatural abilities on people..." Sister Siwei squinted, pondering for a long moment before saying, "I feel like it's easy to talk about... but actually making it happen is really hard... How does it capture sound? After capturing it, how does it display it? Is it powered by electricity?"
"Well..." Brother Gu Yu thought for a moment. "This really doesn't seem like something caused by 'Qingxiang.' Could it be some kind of 'technology'?"
"Technology...?" Sister Siwei was taken aback. "Gu Yu, you said earlier... that above that display screen, there's a giant bronze bell hanging, right?"
"Yes."
"Just how big is the display screen, and how big is the bell?"
"The display screen is about the size of one side of a huge shipping container. It's fixed in place by two pillars, one on the left and one on the right, and above those pillars hangs a giant bell. The bell is about the same size as the ones you'd find in a temple."
"What...?" Sister Siwei found it hard to grasp. "Gu Yu, the way you describe it, this thing doesn't seem like it was built with technology... It's a bit... a bit..."
"Rudimentary." Brother Gu Yu nodded. "Yes, it's very crude."
"Besides, if it really was made using 'technology,' theoretically there shouldn't be something as ancient as a 'bronze bell'... Someone capable of building a display screen would surely be able to make other amplification devices, right? No matter how you think about it, using a 'bronze bell' to alert people isn't the best method..."
"That's exactly why I'm so curious about how it works..."
After saying this, Brother Gu Yu raised his hands. He placed one hand below to simulate the display screen and the other above to simulate the giant bell, with a gap between them and no contact at all.
"Logically speaking, a giant bronze bell like that couldn't be driven by electricity; it requires an external force to strike it. So why would it be linked to the display screen?"
Only then did I realize that the real issue wasn't that the display screen could show the 'Qingxiang,' but that these two completely unrelated things were moving together.
"This is clearly not normal," Sister Siwei said. "Their power source must be 'Qingxiang.' But the person who came up with this method is very clever. Even if we could gather all the ability users, we wouldn't be able to replicate the same device, because we lack his 'idea.'"
"You're right." Brother Gu Yu's expression turned serious. "I should have stayed a few more days until I met their leader, Wen Qiaoyun. She must be able to tell me the principle behind that bell."
Sister Siwei nodded. "But we can still try our best. If we really could build such a device... Brother Yingxiong would be completely free. Even if we can't make something as concrete as a display screen, being able to create a 'bell' that can warn everyone would be something."
"Yes." Brother Gu Yu agreed. "Siwei, starting tomorrow, let's focus on checking the 'Qingxiang' on everyone in the family to see who has an ability that can achieve a similar effect."
"Mm. The situation is getting more dangerous by the day. Freeing Yingxiong sooner is a good thing."
Watching the two of them talk back and forth, I still felt like a little kid who couldn't do anything.
I really wanted to help them, and I really wanted to help those family members, but what could I actually do?
I let out a very quiet sigh, but unexpectedly, Sister Siwei still noticed.
"Yingxiong," she called out. "I've been forgetting to ask you this whole time. Do you have any good ideas about building this device?"
"Huh?" I looked up at her. "Me?"
"Yeah, Gu Yu and I have been talking a lot. Now it's your turn." She came over and crouched in front of me. "You're the pillar of our team. Got any good ideas?"
I think I finally know why I like Sister Siwei so much. She never treats me like a clueless little kid.
"I..."
"It's okay. Whatever idea you have, you can say it." Sister Siwei patted my shoulder. "Yingxiong, even though you're younger than us, you're a seasoned 'Qingxiang practitioner.' Your suggestions might give us some unexpected thoughts."
I actually did have an idea, but I always felt it would sound ridiculous if I said it out loud. However, Sister Siwei always managed to make me let go of my mental burden and tell her everything I was imagining.
"Um... Sister Siwei, Brother Gu Yu, have you noticed... that the bodies of people who die by accident stay here?"
I really wanted to express myself clearly, but I knew too few words.
"I think I get it..." Sister Siwei said. "You mean if someone dies accidentally, their body doesn't disappear, and in the next cycle, they come back."
"Yes, yes, yes!" I nodded quickly. "That's exactly it! That way, it's like having two of me at the same time... I don't know if I'm making sense... So one of me can not die... and the other me comes back..."
I felt like I was getting more and more confused, and my voice was getting quieter and quieter. Even though Sister Siwei had given me countless chances to speak my mind, I was just so stupid.
"Brother Yingxiong, don't rush. You can just tell us what you want to do."
"What if... I could become the 'bell'?" I said.
"What...?" Sister Siwei and Brother Gu Yu were both stunned. The scent on them told me they had never thought in this direction.
"Even if I become a 'bell'... in the next cycle, I'll still come back." I smiled. "So I can't die, and I can keep helping everyone. It's just too bad my 'Qingxiang' is 'Spiritual Smell,' not 'turn into a bell'... Otherwise..."
Seeing that Sister Siwei and Brother Gu Yu didn't say anything, I realized I might have revealed another stupid idea of mine, and my voice trailed off.
"Sorry... big sister, big brother, you two go ahead and talk... I'll just listen."
"No wonder you're a 'seasoned Qingxiang practitioner'..." Sister Siwei stared wide-eyed. "I think this might be the answer..."