Quantum Cultivation by Jace Kang (simple e reader TXT) 📕

one-trillionth of a second, the new algorithm analyzed and compiled all of Ryu’s motions up to now, then hacked the hall emitters to project an image of him. It was just like how she copied Sentinels and Operators in the EtherSpace. Aya shifted her perception to his hologram and slowed to half-time.

Then, she stepped to the side.

Everyone froze, gawking at the two Ryusukes, the real Ryusuke included. Once the Peacekeepers gathered their wits, the shooting resumed. Ten of the twenty-six beams were aimed at her projection. With her perception sped up, Aya dodged with ease. Ai smoothed the hologram’s movement so it resembled Ryusuke’s techniques.

Though she couldn’t affect the material world directly, the distraction was all Ryusuke needed to neutralize the remaining Peacekeepers in a matter of moments. With all of them sprawling and groaning, the dirty little Purebred ventured out of the maglift and slunk over.

Panning out of the simulation, Aya shut down all of the hall’s cameras by burying code in their controllers disguised as regular subroutines.  Around her, in the EtherSpace, Avatars scrambled to bring them back online, but their perception was limited by humans in real time. They were probably wondering why the Sentinels weren’t trying to locate the source of the hack.

Ryusuke turned to her, or rather, the holoprojection of himself. “I thought only masters of both Water and Fire Paths could create duplicates.”

“So can technology.” On a command, Aya changed her projection of Ryusuke back to Bodhi and grinned. “Now, you had better get out of here.”

“I need my robes and directions to Honnoji Temple.”

Pulling her perception back, Aya scanned the EtherSpace. Accessing maps from this part of the system would be too obvious to a passing Avatar or Sentinel, and really, she was tempting fate running so many hacks for so long.

She said, “There are enough projectors between Kyoto Central and Honnoji for me to guide you there. We will need a plan to reacquire your clothes, though, and that will take time given the level of security around it.”

“Come with me to Kujo Ward.” Kentaro bent over to work a jacket off an unconscious Peacekeeper. “It’s very close, but there are fewer cameras there.”

Aya couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice. “Those are the slums.”

“I seem to remember that, even back in my time.” Ryusuke slipped into the jacket, which was tight. Its sleeves only went down to his forearms, and there was a gap between its hem and the line of his hemp loincloth. His legs and feet were bare. It was a look that might go over well in a kink club in the Gion District, but not in the streets of downtown Kyoto.

Of course, it made sense that Kentaro, as a Purebred, would live in Kujo. And he did have a point: there were fewer cameras and patrols there.

Aya’s tether on her Avatar tugged. It was time to return to the real world to clear her lungs. “I’ve shut down all cameras in a four-kilometer radius around Central, which will cover your path to Kujo. I will start working on a plan to get your robes back, and find you in the slums.”

Just as she jacked out from the EtherCloud, colors flashed from Peacekeeper Central’s outdoor camera feed.

A team of six Peacekeepers had just let through a delegation of pointed-eared Elestrae science envoys, while blocking the advance of ten soldiers from the Ministry of Defense. With the time it took to clear her lungs, Aya wouldn’t be able to help Ryusuke.

Chapter 7:

The Purebred

A s soon as the holographic monk disappeared, Ken started to blow out a sigh of relief…only to straighten his spine when Master Ryusuke glared at his stance. Whoever was behind Bodhi might not have the best of intentions. The whole story about a journalist monitoring Peacekeeper activity sounded too suspicious.

Still, a little part of Ken had to admit that their mysterious benefactor had been far more help in their escape from the bowels of Peacekeeper Headquarters than Ken could’ve ever been.

This, after Master Ryusuke had apparently started teaching him!

He had to prove his worth now, if he were to have any hope of going past trying to learn martial arts from movies and delve deeper into true martial power with a master. Trying to maintain correct posture, he picked his way through the unconscious Peacekeepers.

The steel front doors parted, letting in the damp scent and sound of pattering rain.  Pushing past a cordon of Peacekeepers, who apparently had yet to learn about Master Ryusuke’s escape, was a male officer. Three shorter, pointed-eared beings in silken robes and glistening jewelry followed, gliding in with the grace of poetry made tangible.

Ken had never seen an Elestrae in person, let alone three, since they very rarely left their embassy compound. He couldn’t suppress his gasp. Their long, billowing hair ranged from bright gold to lustrous silver, and all had large, almond-shaped eyes of emerald, sapphire, and amethyst hues.

Ever since their species had met four hundred years ago, humans had idolized—no, envied, or even coveted—the Elestrae for their long lives, ethereal beauty, and ability to manipulate istrium radiation. No amount of DNA manipulation could recreate their eye and hair color, at least not without leading to severe genetic defects.

“Fairies,” Master Ryu droned, eyes fixed on the impossibly gorgeous, golden-haired female with blue eyes.

Fairies? Those mystical beings appeared in the 2D Asian media of the 1960s, and had enjoyed a resurgence in the 2010s. The Elestrae were decidedly not fairies. Ken shook his head. “They’re aliens.”

“Aliens? No, they’re daughters, and occasionally sons, of the Gods, who have settled in the Land of Rivers and Lakes.”

Gods? Ken buried a chuckle. “Just where is this land?”

“Here, there, everywhere,” said Master Ryu,