"Wow!"
Like being able to read minds, Del could guess what lay behind Kylia's look of admiration. Luckily, her partner was smart enough not to say it out loud, otherwise Del would have wasted time explaining that love doesn't exist.
"But, Del, why are you so interested in this escaped lab rat? Is there any connection to the Schalange family?" Kylia asked, understanding Del's intentions.
Del was a genius, able to think about several things at once without missing a single detail from any problem. At first, Kylia thought it was one of the abilities of a cultivator, or at least caused by Del's soul, which was much stronger than that of a normal human being.
But it turned out that wasn't the case. The ability to think quickly and read situations was what Del gained after a life full of danger and suffering in the Cultivation World. At that time, Del was just a weak cultivator who was targeted by stronger cultivators, so if he made one wrong move, Del's life would be in danger.
To survive in a world like that, Del trained his thinking skills to not only focus on one thing but multiple things at once. That way, he could prevent bad things from happening before they actually occurred.
However, this could drain Del's energy, and although he could calculate many things at once, his thinking slots were limited. Therefore, he once missed something important just because he spent too long thinking about something less important and almost cost his life.
That's why Del always sorts out what he needs to calculate immediately, what's important but can wait to be calculated, and what's not important to be calculated. Based on the urgency Del showed in the case of the escaped lab rat, it seems to fall into what needs to be calculated immediately.
That's why Kylia asked, as she didn't see the urgency in this matter. They did have a friend named Frank Schalange who seemed to be related to the Schalange family. However, illegitimate children with the Schalange last name were scattered in orphanages in the cities of Teric and Teduh.
The lab rat's sense of revenge with the Schalange last name must only be directed toward the Schalange main family in the city of Teric. So the lab rat wouldn't have anything to do with Del or Kylia in Teduh city.
"Hmm... actually, there are three reasons why this escaped lab rat case is so important," Del understood Kylia's curiosity.
"First, although it seems like a failure, this lab rat is the most successful experiment from the most advanced research institution in the world. So, I want to catch it and study it to see if there's another way to use mana.
"You know, even though I can control it, I can't use mana to cultivate. My body will automatically absorb any mana that comes close and turn it into K-nutrition.
"Although K nutrition can be useful for the development of your Sacred Seed, it has no other use beyond that. This wouldn't be a problem if things remained the same as they are now, but we both know that the world will soon undergo some changes in a few years."
To prepare for the upcoming changes, Del exchanged information with Gaia's Information Exchange System about Soul Transformation realm cultivation. In return, Del learned about the growth phases of the Twin World Universe.
The Twin World Universe has three growth phases: Separation Phase, Merger Phase, and Formation Phase.
The Separation Phase is where the universe, once one, separates into two parts: essence and substance. The substance part will grow and develop in the main dimension, while the essence part will grow and develop in the mirror dimension.
The reason for separating essence and substance is not known for certain, and even the World Will of this universe type does not fully understand it. There are only a few theories that assume this separation is intended to form a stronger universe with essence and substance developing simultaneously.
The Merger Phase is where the two parts of the universe merge back into one complete universe. The Merger Phase consists of four stages that can be categorized by the type of merger that occurs.
The first stage is the energy merger, where the energy in the essence part of the universe enters the substance part and changes the molecular structure of living creatures. To help creatures in the substance part adapt, World Will will use a process called "awakening."
The second stage is the creature merger, where portals will form to create temporary spaces that connect the essence and substance parts. These temporary spaces will become the site of the merger or kiln.
The third stage is the world merger, where the main planets will grow larger, and new regions will begin to appear. These new regions will have ecosystems that originate from the merger of essence and substance parts.
The fourth stage is the law merger, where new laws will be formed not to replace old ones but to renew and complete them. This will facilitate the development of the universe.
The Formation Phase is where a new dimension of space is formed to facilitate the development and ascension of creatures in the universe into something more perfect and complex. This phase is also known as the Tower of Ascension Phase.
Currently, they are still in the second phase, the beginning of the first stage, the energy merger. Mana has already begun to enter the world, and some people have already felt it. However, the "awakening" process has not yet occurred.
Del deduced that the "awakening" process would happen at the end of the first stage before the portal from the mirror dimension opens. Only a few chosen ones will have the opportunity to undergo the "awakening" process, and based on Del's connection to mana, it is unlikely that he will be chosen.
However, Del didn't really care about the "awakening" process, as it was Gaia's way of guiding his/her universe's living creatures to learn how to control mana. For Del, who could already control mana and had his own way of cultivation, this process was not very useful.
Furthermore, Kylia had already been selected to go through the "awakening" process. Gaia wouldn't invest heavily in creating Kylia and not strengthen her when the merging phase arrived.
However, what worried Del was the enemies who would come from the mirror dimension in the future. They were sure to have a better understanding of how to use mana, as they had lived with it all their lives. If Del had no knowledge of mana at all, it would be a vulnerability for his enemies to exploit.
"Secondly, I am someone who always finishes what I start. Although Frank Schalange's relationship with the Schalange family is not that close, he still comes from that family. Blood is thicker than water, as the saying goes.
"Although I have a strong alibi that can help me escape the investigation into Frank's death, there is no such thing as a perfect crime. Mistakes will be found and suspicions will arise. I prefer to attack them first rather than be attacked by them." Del's lips curled into a grin that could make one's hair stand on end.
Seeing Del's menacing grin, Kylia suddenly felt a tickle in her stomach. She slipped into Del's lap to get a closer look.
"But isn't the Schalange family being exterminated by the lab rat?" Kylia asked.
"Hehehe... as I've told you, we don't seek out enemies, but we cannot avoid meeting them. Behind this philosophy lies great wisdom. Although we don't look for enemies, we must still encounter them.
"Enemies are not only a challenge for us, but also a test of our abilities. With enemies, we will have the opportunity to continue to develop in battle, both physically and mentally.
"Chaos is a ladder.
"In chaos, there is an opportunity to climb to a higher level. Enemies who come without being sought are a blessing and a gift that comes to us. Losing this opportunity means losing the chance to become even more perfect." Del stroked Kylia's short, soft hair and occasionally kissed her chubby cheek.
Just like when he killed Frank, from the outside, it may seem like what Del did was excessive. He killed a 10-year-old child just because of a trivial fight. But for Del, it was an opportunity to try something.
After realizing the moral difference between this world and his previous world, Del found a problem where he could no longer act and solve problems as before. For Del, as long as the enemy is still breathing, the problem is not yet solved, only death can be the most effective solution for those who threaten him.
But in this world, murder is considered a very heinous crime. If he is caught killing someone, Del must prepare to face the world as his enemy. Unfortunately, he does not have the ability to be that brave.
Therefore, Del is looking for a way to kill his enemies without causing any problems for himself, or at least delaying the arrival of much bigger problems. He started thinking about it from every angle until he finally found a way from a detective comic.
Although Del is not interested in children's stories, this comic gives Del inspiration to use his intelligence to commit hidden murders. He prepares an alibi that cannot be penetrated by combining various things with coincidence.
Frank was just an unlucky victim who passed in front of Del when he was looking for a chance to try out his theory. And he succeeded in getting away without any suspicion.
However, Frank is just one person, and it does not prove that Del can kill anyone he wants in this world. He needs a larger experimental subject, and that is the Schalange family. Del has been waiting for the right time to start his massacre. But...
"That's why this lab rat taking my opportunity makes me angry." Del smiled again, this time a genuine smile from his darkest heart.
"I don't understand," Kylia said with a confused face.
"Hehe... one day you will understand," Del kissed Kylia's forehead.
"Uh... what about the third reason?"
"The third... it seems that this lab rat is not only targeting the Schalange family but also the Flower Garden Orphanage," Del said with sparkling eyes.