[The host's theory on there being more than just systems' and souls' is most likely correct. However, as neither the host nor the system can locate such beings right now, they can not be utilized in the way the host may want.]
"Well, if these supposed beings' do absorb Ep, and as soul's do generate Ep, what if we went to a place that should have a high concentration of Ep. Then we can check if those places are undergoing what would normally happen if a location underwent a large amount of Ep being released upon it. If they aren't, then something is most likely absorbing that Ep directly from the environment."
[The host's thinking is good, however, the host must also take into account that these areas will either have an extremely powerful being who does not mind not being so obvious, or a swarm of parasitic beings, who take Ep directly from a soul. Both will most likely be highly dangerous in their own way's to the host.]
"Makes sense. And... wait. That's right. You are not sentient. You have said that many times now. Explain how you came up with that idea just now. And while you're at it, answer my third question, don't avoid it."
[The system was answering the host's questions in order.]
[The system can read the subconscious thoughts of the host, and utilize the processing power of the host to figure out how to utilize Ep, all to help the host gain what he wants. To be exact, what the host wants at every level of the soul the system can access. In the event any of the levels clashes, the system will bring each of these levels ideas to each other, and then go with the overall rationalization.]
"So... it is kind of like a group of people arguing, and you, the system, are the communication device we are using? And wait, if my thinking is correct, I, the uppermost conscious level, am actually the one lacking the most in thought, aren't I."
[The host is correct. However, there is currently only the conscious level, and the subconscious level. That is all the system can access. There is a high chance that is all there is to the soul. Also, no matter what the host wishes to change, that is how the host's soul has always worked.]
"Yeah... I know. When I questioned where my thoughts originated from, I decided that it is probably the subconscious. Whether or not I was right, I couldn't know. I guess I now know. But now I feel like I am not really in control of my life..." sadly said George.
"Just kidding! I already knew all this, and this hasn't really amazed me in any way. Or at least, I had already guessed it. I mean, I'm still me, and I have confirmation that I have a soul, which fixes years of existential crises that I have suffered from, where I tried to figure out the meaning of life."
"And as I now know I am just autistic, and have no underlying mental health issues besides that, having something that can delve into the deepest parts of my brain to find the original issue isn't needed."
[The system is not capable of delving into the host's deepest issues without spending some Ep. At least, not in the way that host wants. To immediately teach something to the host would require Ep to put the knowledge directly into the host's neurons.]
"Eh, not as if you could access anything outside of my body without Ep either, so that probably won't matter for a while."
"Oh, but now I need to question why souls exist. Maybe they just do, but I need to be sure."
"And I still need to figure out how emotions work so I can more easily gain Ep, and how to actually 'see' these being's, if they do exist."
"So much to do." lamented George.
"Anyway, now that that really important question is answered, what should I do about the other beings that potentially exist?" wonders G_0.
"I suppose doing some research would be a good idea, system, what should I look for?" answers G_1, than questioned something himself.
[The system know's about as much as the host, and can't find any other conclusions.]
"Then I suppose we will have to go outside, and look to see how exactly the Ep of others affects the environment. And then we can find out what locations with a large number of souls don't undergo the hopefully discovered process."
[Ep + 0.8]
So, system, how does Ep affect the environment?
[It randomly affects things, and has no obvious effects. Only in large quantities, and only if it all just happens to have the same intended effect, will there be a noticeable change. ]
Right. Then, what am I doing right now?
[The host is walking around a building called 'New Food Market' by its owners. The intention being that the host is hungry, and wishes to eat some food by buying some.]
Yes, that is correct, but that wasn't what I was getting at... (leads on G_2) (AN: Yes, obviously my thoughts would also be capable of discussing things in the same manner as my voice.)
[The host is currently not thinking the answer, and yet is aware of it all the same.]
It's called having the general gist of a plan my dude.
[The system is in no way a dude, it is a system, and the host's plan is to look for any oddities in New Food Market while he is here, as this location has one of the largest amounts of souls using it every day that the host is aware of at this moment in time.]
Correct system! Good job! Now, we are looking for something that is seemingly unnatural...
"Wait, since this would have happened for as long as humans have existed, wouldn't people have already come up with some explanation for it? I mean, humans do like explaining the unexplainable." whispered G_0.
"Then wouldn't a better idea be to spend some Ep on allowing the system to analyze something random, in the hopes that Ep has interacted with it, and changed it, allowing us to learn what is actually 'normal', and what isn't?" whispered G_1, continuing to over analyze stuff.
[It will cost 7800 Ep to analyze any item within this store. This is the expected amount, anyway.]
Oh yeah, analyzing things using the system outside of my own body is ridiculously expensive.
The only other course of action I can see is buying a lot of food and then eating it. Once it is inside my body, surely the system can then scan it a lot more cheaply, right?
[The host is correct. It will cost the system 22.1 Ep to scan a food item once it is inside the host's body. For more accuracy, the host should eat while still around a lot of people, as more Ep will be there that can affect the food.]
And how much Ep do we have?
[The host has 326.89 Ep]
"Well then, I have bought some different cheeses. Considering how cheese has to be aged over a larger period of time, while humans regularly interact with it, there is most likely going to be more Ep in the cheese. Or at least, it will have been changed more."
"Welp, time to eat!"
Chomp!
"Ah cheese, so delicious. Just taking a bite out of some is already enough to cheer me up!" happily says G_0!
[Ep + 0.23]
Yep, tasty. I always did like eating cheese, for whatever reason. Actually, to be fair, I really like eating food in general. Oh yeah, system, analyze the food, will you?
[Certainly host. It seems that a small amount of Ep has had an effect on some molecules within the cheese. The effect that has been caused is that one helium atom has been released from one molecule. Another molecule released 3 electrons, creating an ever so slightly small electromagnetic field, causing the aluminum foil surrounding the cheese to bend ever so slightly. Another molecule]
"Yeah, okay, going to stop you right there system. Basically, Ep has affected the cheese. It is just really random, as we previously thought it would do."
[The host is correct.]
"Well then, if that is the case, what are we to do?"
Oh, right! We can just go from place to place that has a large number of people, and see if any Ep is affecting the surroundings, by eating some food from there. And if there isn't, that must mean there is a being of some form that is taking the Ep first.
So all I need to do now is figure out how and where I shall go next...
[Ep + 0.34]