Lu Yan had grown accustomed to the orderly interface that presented itself when he entered the mental space. To him, the minds of others were akin to assignments awaiting grading. However, he hadn't anticipated plunging directly into tumultuous waters this time.
In the deep night, waves crashed layer upon layer, and Lu Yan clung to a floating ice floe, battered by the chaotic sea. He was in a sorry state. Lu Yan queried the system, "What is this?"
"[This is 07's current mental space.]"
"[His numerical value far exceeds yours. In other words, you cannot manipulate his brain as easily as controlling Sea God Church believers.]"
"[07's mind is currently in disarray, with many memories buried beneath the surface, like ice blocks sealed in dust.]"
Another massive wave surged forth, and Lu Yan was pushed beneath the sea's surface. Below the waves, immense ice caps floated. With closed eyes, 07 was sealed within transparent ice, his face unusually pale.
Around Lu Yan, numerous such ice blocks floated in the seawater, each containing a version of 07.
The system intoned gravely, "[Awaken him.]"
Lu Yan's hand reached for the short dagger at his waist, plunging its blade forcefully into the ice block before him.
Within the glacier, the slumbering Zong Yan opened his crimson eyes.
Lu Yan's vision darkened momentarily, then he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
He quickly realized the anomaly: he couldn't move.
Or rather, he couldn't control this body.
"He" sat up, fetched a bottle of water from the bedside, and drank.
In the mirror, Lu Yan saw the face of this body. It was Zong Yan.
The sensation was strange, like watching a movie from a first-person perspective.
Zong Yan set the water aside and tentatively snapped his fingers.
A small crimson flame flickered to life on his fingertip.
Lu Yan heard 07 mutter, "Am I participating in a world magic tour?"
"[Do you remember when you returned to Tang Xunan's dream? Now is exactly three days after the 'Apocalypse Incident.']"
The First Research Institute was undergoing reconstruction. However, most of the damage was to the lower floors underground, and this batch of volunteers, including Zong Yan, resided on the 9th and 10th floors, so the impact was minimal.
At 7:00 in the morning, Zong Yan arrived at the institute's cafeteria. There weren't many people having breakfast, and Lu Yan immediately spotted Gu Zheng in the hall.
The cafeteria was free, with a meal system somewhat like morning tea. Zong Yan picked up seven or eight baskets of dishes in one go.
He sat opposite Gu Zheng and asked, "Where are the others?"
Gu Zheng replied, "Yan Bei took leave to attend the art exhibition, Yuan Chen went with Professor Qiao to check experimental data, and Ji Wen and the others stayed up late gaming until 3 am last night. They can't get up."
Zong Yan hesitated for a moment. "Speaking of which, the Black Dragon I saw a few days ago... was it the one living on the 10th floor?"
Gu Zheng answered, "Yes, it's called Tang Xunan."
Zong Yan said, "Seems like I haven't seen much of him."
"He's undergone too many pollutant transplantation surgeries, and his condition isn't very stable. Moreover, his mutation level was too high before, and rejection reactions were quite apparent. He's currently confined, and who knows if he can recover."
"Poor guy." Zong Yan sighed. "What happens if the mutation level exceeds 100?"
Gu Zheng replied without hesitation, "Euthanasia."
With this statement, the atmosphere grew heavy.
"It's too cruel," Zong Yan murmured. "He had such a high mutation level to save others."
"Zong Yan," Gu Zheng set down his bowl, his expression serious. "Compared to ordinary people, we have all faced pollutants directly. We should be more clear that pollutants and humans are two different species. Once a Daybreaker becomes a pollutant, regardless of what kind of person they were before, they are our enemies."
"Pollutants possess powers far beyond ordinary people and harbor an innate craving for humans. In other words, they are potential murderers. And it's pathological, irreversible."
"It sounds cruel, but this is an inevitable choice to protect the majority. Moreover, once they become pollutants, even if they retain some sanity, their thinking will change. The only connection they have left to human society is memory, but how long can the warmth in those memories last? From the moment they become pollutants, that part of them belonging to humanity is already dead."
"Even if my mutation level exceeds 100, I hope you'll treat me as an enemy rather than a friend."
Gu Zheng spoke a lot in one breath.
Lu Yan fell silent. "So, that's what 01 was thinking at the beginning."
"[If evolution is viewed as a war, qualities detrimental to survival will be eliminated. Obviously, when Gu Zheng became 01, he voluntarily gave up empathy and some other things.]"
Feeling uncomfortable, Zong Yan couldn't finish his meal. "Understood. If my mutation level is close to 100, I'll jump into the sea."
After finishing his meal, Zong Yan began his training.
His talent was fire, and researchers had developed a long-term training plan based on his talent characteristics to help him better control it.
Flames fluctuated in his palms, sometimes large, sometimes small. Some sparks landed on the carpet but didn't ignite; they were quickly drawn back like magnets.
His daily training duration was two hours straight. Any longer would cause his mutation level to rise, which wasn't safe.
At 10:30 in the morning, with the assistance of researchers, Zong Yan completed his training and had the rest of the day for his free time.
Originally, Zong Yan wanted to go to the surface, but he changed his mind and headed to Qiao Yu's office.
He pushed open the door, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Professor Qiao, I want to go see Tang Xunan. Is that okay?"
Qiao Yu was somewhat surprised. "He doesn't like seeing people, but I can ask for you."
With that, Qiao Yu picked up the phone.
After a brief ringtone, the call was answered.
Qiao Yu spoke gently, "Tang Xunan."
In the phone, came the boy's response, "Professor Qiao."
"Someone wants to see you, a volunteer from the 9th floor."
"...Sorry." Tang Xunan was curled up in the closet, picking off the black scales that had fallen from his face with his hands. "I don't want to see anyone."
He would scare others. Lu Yan didn't insist. Standing in his perspective, he spent
the day in a rush.
When he opened his eyes again, the calendar on the wall showed a month later.
Zong Yan got up for morning exercises, on an empty stomach, and went to the medical room to have his blood drawn.
The researcher removed the needle from his arm and suddenly said, "Zong Yan, the volunteer living on the 10th floor underground left the research institute today. Do you want to go see him?"
Zong Yan was taken aback. "This early?"
"Yes," the researcher said, "He's different from you guys. He came to the research institute for pollutant fusion surgery. The mortality rate for this surgery is very high, and it was only conducted on animals before. Overall, it should be considered successful. The volunteer in room 10 originally had only one talent, but now has three."
"If nothing unexpected happens, he will join the newly established Special Operations Department. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in pollution cases worldwide. Conventional weapons have begun to be ineffective against pollutants, so we can only send Harbingers to try."
"If Tang Xunan succeeds, it proves that our experimental direction is correct..."
"You guys are the executors of the Fire Seed Project and also the hope for the future," murmured the researchers.
Zong Yan clenched his fist quietly. "I understand."
When Lu Yan woke up again, he subconsciously glanced at the time on the calendar on the wall. The wall, originally a light coffee color, had turned into a cold metallic white.
Whether it was his illusion or not, the surrounding lights also seemed much dimmer.
[This is 31 years later. Three years ago, Professor Qiao passed away in the hospital due to old age... After a series of power struggles, the current director is Gong Weibin. Professor Qiao's former staff left and established the Third Research Institute.]
[The Third Research Institute applied to take away the experimental subjects but was rejected. This year marks the first year of the True God's faction's Creation of Gods Plan.]
Zong Yan got up early, was taken to the office, and attended a meeting.
"This is your new researcher, Ren Xuan," Gong Weibin said with a gentle expression. "Professor Shi is too old and can no longer handle your body research. Don't worry, although Ren Xuan is young, he is my most outstanding student."
Lu Yan frowned. "I've seen him before."
Back in City P, before heading to the Luochuan Botanical Garden, he had a brief encounter with Ren Xuan.
At that time, Ren Xuan had already been Zong Yan's researcher for many years.
Later, Ren Xuan jumped from a high-rise building in City P. Zong Yan's researcher then became Wei Chengwu. Because he couldn't bear the delirium of his talent, Wei Chengwu also jumped off the building and died.
Ren Xuan looked slightly embarrassed and a bit excited. "Hello, Mr. Zong Yan. I've heard about you a long time ago. I used to be Professor Shi's assistant too. Don't worry, although I'm young, I will develop the most suitable modification plan for you."
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