Chapter 454 - 407: Breach of Faith

Chapter 454: Chapter 407: Breach of Faith

Director’s Office.

Zhang Minglu handed the summary report from the second experiment to Gao Liangwei for review.

Gao Liangwei looked it over for a moment and quickly identified the key point. "The Parasites are actually unaffected by the Crimson Fear? This seems to be the same principle behind why we can’t interrogate them for information."

"Yes." Zhang Minglu nodded. "The spores have altered the host’s cerebral nervous system, causing the Parasites to mentally ’ignore’ factors that would be detrimental to the spores... But this doesn’t mean they’re completely immune to the Crimson Fear, just that it’s not as severe as it is for humans."

"This isn’t good news for humanity."

Gao Liangwei’s expression darkened as a thought occurred to him.

"Director, you mean...?"

"If the Parasites use this to launch a counter-attack, the consequences will be severe."

Gao Liangwei came from a military background, so he always approached problems from a military perspective first.

"The leader of the Parasites, that ’Prophet.’ If he uses the Parasites’ reduced susceptibility to the Crimson Fear to his advantage and launches a large-scale nighttime counter-offensive against the coalition forces on the Black Banner Country front, our forces would undoubtedly be put in an extremely passive position."

Zhang Minglu froze. He had never even considered that possibility.

Now that Gao Liangwei had brought it up, he realized just how serious the matter was.

’If the Parasites use this rule to fight the coalition forces at night...’

"Director, should we pass this intelligence on to the coalition forces? Although, it’s already the 8th. The rule has been in effect for a week, and the Parasites haven’t counter-attacked yet..."

"When you’re at war with an enemy, you can never hope they’ll make a mistake."

After speaking, Gao Liangwei made a call to explain the situation.

Afterward, he returned to the report.

"Your experiment this time also explored that ’unknown’ more deeply... That Red Halo, you think it’s... brainwaves?" Gao Liangwei’s expression was strange. "Brainwaves... are they something you can see with your eyes?"

"Director, the test subjects didn’t actually ’see’ those horrific images either. According to the analysis of data from both experiments by dozens of experts and scholars in related fields, those images are generated directly in the human brain through brainwave interference."

"Generated in the human brain... Is that also why everyone sees different images?"

"I’m afraid so. That ’Red Halo’ is, in all likelihood, the source of the interference. After it enters the human brain, it begins to interfere, causing the brain to generate terrifying scenes. That’s why we’ve named it the ’Source of Fear’."

"Did any of the test subjects manage to capture it?"

Zhang Minglu shook his head regretfully. "Although we used mental stabilization items to ensure the test subjects’ safety, preventing them from falling into brain death or a frenzied state, that’s as far as we could go. The subjects reported that just using their Psychic Power to counteract the effects of the terrifying images nearly exhausted them. They simply couldn’t muster the willpower to approach the Source of Fear."

"...If they can’t even get close, how can we even talk about capturing and studying it?" Gao Liangwei put down the report.

Zhang Minglu hesitated for a moment before saying, "It seems that to get close enough to explore it, an average Ascender with a high Psychic Power limit isn’t enough. We’ll need the absolute top-tier ones to participate in the experiment. For example, people from our base like Dragon Soul and Bai Xuewu... But they’re all considered critical assets."

Gao Liangwei understood what Zhang Minglu meant. The latter was struggling with whether it was worth the risk to have top-tier Ascenders explore the unknown element of this new rule.

Even with the aid of items, accidents could still happen.

And right now, it was a critical time. The wars against the Fire Worship Cult and the Parasites weren’t over yet, and the combat strength of every top-tier Ascender was indispensable.

"Director, what is your opinion?" Zhang Minglu couldn’t make up his mind, nor did he have the authority to decide.

Gao Liangwei asked in return, "Where is the next experiment?"

"In Lu Rui Country. A specialist, Lu Rui, plans to use patients who can’t perceive fear due to physiological or psychological factors as test subjects."

"Using patients for an experiment? Is that feasible?"

"Opinions are divided. I don’t know what the effect will be either. We can only wait for the results."

Gao Liangwei mulled it over for a moment. "Then let’s wait for the results of the third experiment. If Lu Rui’s plan succeeds and they capture the ’Source of Fear,’ that would be for the best. If the experiment fails, I will propose at the Human Federation council meeting that each member state contributes one top-tier Ascender for the experiment."

Zhang Minglu nodded in agreement. Before leaving, he asked curiously, "Director, what’s the status of the investigation into the incident where the Crimson Fear was spread through a game?"

"Section Chief Li is investigating. He transferred Li Liang over to help not long ago."

"Li Liang? The influencer Ascender who has Hypnosis Items... It seems Section Chief Li suspects someone inside the game development studio. But what would their motive be?"

"That’s exactly what Section Chief Li is investigating. We’ll just have to wait for his report. Dr. Zhang, don’t forget the decapitation strike against the Fire Worship Cult at the end of this month. You need to pay close attention to the Ascenders participating in the operation."

"I understand. I’ll speak with them individually over the next few days to ensure they have no lingering worries."

...

At 9:50 AM on the 8th, Shi Jingyi walked from the academy to South Street Stadium.

Just as she reached the entrance, Guan Tong’s voice echoed in her mind through the Mind Network.

"Shi Jingyi, I’ve checked inside and outside the stadium. No ambush. But if Lu City is hostile, we can’t rule out the possibility of him using Teleportation Items to summon help."

Hearing this, Shi Jingyi glanced around. "I appreciate it. Hasn’t Lu City arrived yet?"

"Not yet. Look down at your left hand. Don’t use your Psychic Power to defend against my Shadow."