Memory Manipulation, Higher-Level Thinking

At this very moment.

After hearing Zhan Cangqiong's report, Gao Linzhi remained noncommittal.

"Okay, I understand. You can go ahead and get back to work."

Hearing Gao Linzhi's calm tone, Zhan Cangqiong smiled coldly to himself.

He lowered his head, turned, and left, but what he was thinking was...

The test was successful.

The United Association had previously sent out a new strategy.

They believed that those Dragon Slayer would eventually become dragons themselves.

Even if the first generation of Dragon Slayer can control themselves, the second and third generations will become evil dragons.

This is destiny.

It possesses an unshakeable power.

It now seems there are some experts within the United Association who saw it at a glance.

This guy, Canxue, had previously been hunted down by the company and fought back fiercely.

Now that he's taken on the role and position within the company, he's started to disregard the lives of others again.

Hmph, as expected of a lowly commoner, once he gains power... he can't control himself.

The lowly should never rise up; they should always be trampled underfoot.

With these thoughts in mind, Zhan Cangqiong returned to his team.

As a result, Captain Qingcheng, whom she hadn't seen for a long time, showed up out of boredom.

"The workload has doubled this month."

"We need to capture more bosses, and we need to go deeper into the sea to capture them. Recently, the business of selling bosses and high-level monsters has been booming."

"Oh no, double the amount again? How are we supposed to finish this?" someone immediately cried out in despair.

"What are you afraid of? Just work overtime, right? This is a blessing for you. The company is giving you opportunities and a platform to grow, so you should make the most of it!" He said, using his usual manipulative tactics.

Yes, the number of members in the Fixed Team has quietly increased several times over.

After all, Gao Linzhi has many things to do and cannot take care of everything. He needs to focus his energy on improving his strength.

He only checks it out when necessary now.

Zhan Cangqiong and the other two were among the few who didn't complain.

To others, they are the kind of people who are exceptionally hardworking and seem to have an endless capacity for hardship.

Sure enough, when the tasks were assigned this time, the most common number was three people.

Actually, this was because I was bored and vaguely felt that something was off about the three of them, so I decided to squeeze them a little more.

Not long after.

Xu Gou seemed to have learned that someone had snitched on him, and he hurriedly came to explain to Gao Linzhi.

"Master, it was all my own doing that made the decision, but those who participated in the strange trials all voluntarily signed the contracts."

"We executed some people who broke the contract. They were already going to die, but after taking our game qualification, they went back on their word and wanted to escape with their healthy bodies."

Gao Linzhi nodded.

His Person Appraisal Technique told him that Xu Gou was not lying.

This Mysterious Side world is designed to facilitate the rule of powerful individuals.

Things that are difficult to handle in the real world, such as ensuring the loyalty of subordinates and preventing their betrayal, require the establishment of various complex systems of checks and balances.

However, everything is very simple here.

If you are strong enough, you have nothing to worry about.

So he didn't pay much attention to it.

"Since it's all voluntary, let them leave it to fate."

"As long as there's no coercion, it's fine." Gao Linzhi stated his bottom line.

What makes him better than the company is that the company forces people to work themselves to the bone.

He sets the conditions, and those who are willing take the bait.

Xu Gou nodded quickly. "That's for sure, I will personally oversee everyone."

"That's good. By the way, I previously asked you to work on stealth-related talents and skills. Now that you're here, I'll give you another task."

"Go for healing talents, especially those for clearing negative buffs."

"Okay, I'll get right on it." Xu Gou left with full confidence.

Gao Linzhi nodded.

Compared to other threats, sealing, imprisonment, and paralysis pose the greatest threat to him.

He has Level Lock.

We should prepare solutions in advance to address such potential risks.

That's why he allocated all his points to the mental attribute and learned Spirit Resistance System skills, all in preparation for the future.

One week later.

On a desert-covered island, the faint howls of wolves could be heard rising and falling.

Xu Gou and the Big Black Fatty were standing on a high platform, looking at a sand dune in the distance.

The sand dunes stretch out in undulating waves; some resemble human heads, others human torsos, hands, legs... forming a striking image of a reclining giant.

Ten people, their hearts pounding with fear, entered the Giant Dune.

Not long after, a voice came from the Giant Dune:

"Go where you want to go, and you will lose what you don't want to lose, and you will gain what you want."

The two men used binoculars to observe the ten people.

Clearly, fear and reluctance were still evident on the faces of the ten people.

This displeased Xu Gou.

"These people, though forced by the voluntary contracts and various pressures to enter voluntarily, still wanted to escape when the time came."

"This kind of mentality will definitely affect the pass rate, and also the quality of Talent Stone and Skill Stone produced," he couldn't help but say.

"You're right. People are just despicable. Human hearts are fickle. When they're in dire straits, they say all sorts of nice things, like they'd risk their lives and do whatever they want."

"But once they enter the game and gain access, they'll find that the desperate situations they faced in reality are insignificant here, and their mindset will immediately change," the Big Black Fatty said helplessly.

It's incredibly difficult to find someone who is committed to keeping promises, works diligently, and is brave and fearless.

Firstly, people like this are not likely to become Wanderer.

Secondly, the total number of people like this is very small.

"What my master needs now is a high-quality Talent Stone."

"Don't you have any other ways to improve this?" Xu Gou asked, dissatisfied.

Upon hearing this Big Black Fatty's eyes lit up.

"If that's the case, there is actually a way."

"That means signing a new agreement with them."

"A person's character can be changed through memory."

"If you implant a false memory into them, you can turn a coward into a hero, and a villain into a good person."

"Wow, you guys have this kind of skill? Why didn't you use it sooner?" Xu Gou asked in surprise.

"That's because we can't find players who can manipulate memories, or even natives," the Big Black Fatty said with difficulty.

"I should be able to find someone like that," Xu Gou said suddenly after thinking for a moment.

"That's wonderful! In this way, the dregs can be transformed into gold, and then thrown into these monsters to undergo trials, allowing us to harvest a continuous stream of high-quality Talent Stone!"

"Wait a minute, isn't this method a bit inhumane?" Xu Gou became a little worried again.

He didn't actually care about humanity, but he was worried about what the master thought of him.

"All we need to do is get them to sign a contract."

"They signed the contract themselves, so they can't blame us," the Big Black Fatty said nonchalantly.

He knew very well that those scumbags, liars, and deadbeats would betray not only their memories and character, but even their own parents.

You can't be polite to people like that.

Moreover, this scum is generated continuously—all you need to do is stay near the casino.

Signing Memory Contract with them also benefits their families and society.

"That's true." Xu Gou also felt a sense of annoyance towards these people.

He no longer had any sympathy for these scumbags.

They all talked a good game beforehand, but once they got the chance to play and their situation improved, they immediately thought about running away.

When the time comes, they start to back out and cause all sorts of trouble.

No wonder Sirius Island produces so few Talent Stone.

Saying it's "two-tenths" is just advertising exaggeration.

He was terribly harmed by this seemingly kind-hearted Big Black Fatty.

A week has passed, and there has been no progress.

If things continue like this, my position as a trusted confidant of the master will be in jeopardy.

A confidant who cannot bring any real value to the master is not a confidant, but merely a burden.

He provided the other party with as many as 40 new players at level 35.

For this purpose, the master's Fixed Team was also used to capture high-level BOSSes.

Fortunately, there's no need to change jobs; you only need 3500 experience points.

However, gaining 3500 experience points is not easy; you have to switch monsters every few levels.

If a job change is required, the investment would be too large.

Just one hour later, this group of 10 people was also wiped out.

"Still no one has come out..." Xu Gou looked at the Big Black Fatty.

The Big Black Fatty said with a fawning expression, "Well, it's because they were afraid and only wanted to escape, which is why they failed."

Didn't you tell them?

"We already told them, and we've already explained the strategy," the Big Black Fatty said helplessly. "When faced with this strange creature, we must be brave enough to confront it and answer the questions."

"You can only come out alive after you answer the questions."

"Unfortunately, they have personality flaws, and although they choose intelligent people, the success rate is still not high."

"What kind of trials are inside this strange place?" Xu Gou asked curiously.

"Based on the survivors' accounts, the trials inside are divided into three categories: courage, wisdom, and righteousness," the Big Black Fatty explained carefully to the client.

"Once inside, you'll enter a movie scene."

"The strange thing will give you a task."

"These tasks are all based on courage, wisdom, and benevolence."

"You must make full use of these three qualities to complete the task given by the monster."

"For example?"

"For example, a movie about barbarians attacking a city."

"After entering, players will receive missions, which are divided into three categories: escape, surrender, and resistance."

"The main goal is to help more people survive."

"If there is someone clever and wise, he can quickly organize the city's forces and defeat the barbarians."

"Then he can obtain high-quality Talent Stone or Skill Stone."

Xu Gou nodded.

This level of difficulty sounds quite high.

For an ordinary person, quickly adapting to a movie scene and organizing forces to defeat a group of barbarians is not easy.

Of course, they are not ordinary people.

They are at least level 35 players. Although they don't have any skills, they have 5+35 points of constitution, which gives them the confidence to get started.

These physical attributes are sufficient for them to quickly gain a good starting point, acquire prestige, and organize a group of people.

"The next best option is to organize everyone to dig tunnels or crawl through gullies to hide."

"The last option is to choose to join the barbarians, help them attack the city, and protect a portion of the population."

"If any one of the three methods is successful and the target number of people can be saved, then this test will be over," the Big Black Fatty concluded.

"This doesn't sound difficult, so why is the failure rate so high?" Xu Gou asked, puzzled.

"Because this takes into account the player's organizational skills, personality, memory, knowledge, and abilities."

"Some people are more fragile; as soon as they see the barbarians coming, they run away on their own."

"Then his test will inevitably fail."

"There are also high-ranking individuals among the barbarians who will come out to hunt him down."

"This requires players to utilize their wisdom, courage, and righteousness to unite the people of the city and, with the help of the indigenous people, overcome this strange trial."

After the Big Black Fatty explained, Xu Gou reluctantly accepted it.

Indeed, this task looks easy, but it's extremely difficult to do.

Gaining trust and organizing quickly in a short period of time is not something an ordinary person can do.

Some con artists are perhaps even more adept at it.

But they have all talk and no action; they lack courage and righteousness and will not stand up bravely in this dangerous situation.

After listening, Xu Gou suddenly said, "It seems this place is a treasure trove."

"Haha, I guess you could barely be considered as well, not as good as you guys who have powerful backers protecting you," the Big Black Fatty laughed.

"If that's the case, won't anyone come and steal it?" Xu Gou asked, changing the subject.

"Well, some people did try to steal it, but we're not going to sit idly by."

"We have our own power base, and besides, production is rather troublesome and depends a lot on luck. Rather than robbing us, it's better to cooperate with us, grow stronger together, and share the profits. After all, it's a troublesome matter. It's called a gold mine, but it's actually a field that needs careful cultivation," the Big Black Fatty explained.

"I see. So you managed to hold onto this place by cooperating with each other and gathering enough influence." Xu Gou said thoughtfully.

The other party did offer a possible approach.

Their Wolf Snake Island could serve as a model to follow.

It is necessary to be bound together with certain forces, so that we are intertwined and cannot be easily overthrown.

"Yes, that's right. After all, we only have one life. As long as we can get the benefits, no one will rashly tear off the mask of civility," the Big Black Fatty explained.

Xu Gou felt he was gradually grasping the mindset of these people who had once looked up to him.

Interests, deterrence, weighing the pros and cons...

You need to have the power to fight back, you need to have your own escape route that you can't control, only then will they negotiate with you instead of killing you.

"Okay, I'll go find someone; she should have the ability to manipulate memories."

"That's great. If that's possible, we're willing to give you 30% of the extra output."

"Only 30%? At least 70%."

"Sigh, it's not that I don't want to give more, it's just that there are too many people eating."

"At least 50%, otherwise, forget it."

"All right."

Xu Gou felt he had been taken advantage of.

But it doesn't matter. Once the master has developed his power, it's just a matter of saying a word if he wants the benefits here.

He gave a cold smile to himself.

Then, using the island-switching method, they quickly returned to Wolf Snake Island.

This method is called "Fake Death Switch": first, log off and arrive in the real-world city corresponding to the online island, then enter a near-death state, and log back on.

The game will then mistakenly register that you have respawned, allowing you to choose where you want to respawn.

Actually, this is a major bug.

The game developers should have fixed it long ago—but they haven't.

However, this is also very dangerous.

You must have Revival Stone on you to safely use this technique.

If you truly die, you can also truly be resurrected.