Fear

After passing through layer upon layer of checkpoints, the three of them finally entered the core area of the Research Base.

To ensure safety and plan ahead, Li Qingye was already considering opening a second secret Research Base. He was still looking for a suitable location.

After all, the Research Base on Calagua Island had been built by Xinhai Company, and it was no secret in Luzon either. Once Homo sapiens Company became famous, all sorts of shady characters would definitely set their sights on this place.

Preparations for a second secret base had become urgent. This time, he planned to use upgrades and expansion as an excuse to obtain enough research equipment, then arrange for his own people to build the second secret base and reduce the risk of leaks.

Chen Jianxiong was a fairly suitable person to put in charge. After all, the soldiers had poor management skills and could only handle simple, heavy-handed tasks.

Expecting a soldier to lead the construction of a secret base from scratch was clearly asking too much.

For example, the soldier Jose had been assigned to manage the Finance Department. Li Qingye had updated his database beforehand and added a lot of program functions related to finance, economics, and mathematics.

Even so, Jose could only manage the Finance Department by rigidly following the framework Fang Xin Cheng had left behind.

Fortunately, Li Qingye didn't need him to cook the books, evade taxes, or anything like that. With help from the other Natural Person employees, the department could keep running. Jose simply did everything by the book and couldn't adapt to changing circumstances.

That was why Li Qingye wanted to recruit Natural Persons like Chen Jianxiong. Their ability to adapt was something the soldiers still couldn't manage.

As they walked, they passed a room marked [Training Room].

Chen Jianxiong noticed two people with stiff expressions practicing etiquette in a rigid, methodical manner.

These people are strange. Why do they seem so lifeless? Chen Jianxiong pondered silently.

Suddenly, a man in a security uniform walked toward them. After saluting the boss, he brushed past Chen Jianxiong and entered the training room.

"Hm? Why does that man look familiar?" Chen Jianxiong quickly searched his memories. Suddenly, his pupils contracted. So it's him. One of the Japanese people who visited Li Jinglan before seemed to be that man. But why is he here? And he looks so strange. Could it be...

Another thought quickly surfaced.

Li Jinglan's death...

The Japanese people's appearance...

Biological research...

"You saw him, right? That man met Manager Li before. He was one of the Japanese commercial spies. He was lucky. Although he was modified a little, at least he's still alive, isn't he?"

Li Qingye explained from up ahead, his tone casual, as if he were discussing something unimportant.

Chen Jianxiong's body trembled, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head.

They came to another room.

Li Qingye gently pushed open the door. Three people lay on the beds, their eyes vacant. Their heads had been shaved, and faint scars encircled their scalps.

"Some time ago, Manager Li collaborated with the Japanese people and planned to attract investment for Homo sapiens Company. I simply went along with it."

"What happened to them?" Chen Jianxiong asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Li Qingye smiled, though his answer seemed somewhat beside the point. "Last century, a surgery called prefrontal lobotomy was popular in America. It could treat mental illness. Of course, the side effect was losing all emotions and desires."

Gulp! Chen Jianxiong grew even more terrified. He was starting to regret his decision, but now that he had seen all this, he didn't think Li Qingye would let him leave Homo sapiens Company.

"Relax. I won't use this method on my own people."

Even so, Chen Jianxiong was still terrified.

"But to ensure your loyalty, it's necessary to install a safety measure in you. I assume you won't refuse?"

Looking at Fili, who was holding a pistol nearby, Chen Jianxiong nodded, close to tears. "Boss, I... I agree."

Li Qingye patted him on the shoulder. "I knew you were a smart man."

Soon, Chen Jianxiong was anesthetized and taken into the operating room.

First, they performed a craniotomy and fitted a Biochip into his skull. Then they connected it to various biological function devices and his brain's neurons.

This Biochip was largely the same as the one used by the soldiers. The biggest difference was that its core program was named [Administrator].

In reality, the Administrator Program was designed mainly to provide assistance, but it had hidden functions too, such as monitoring the host, forcibly paralyzing the host, and even killing the host.

Besides implanting the Biochip, Li Qingye injected [Parasite—Plasmodium Type 2] into Chen Jianxiong's body. This parasite could lie dormant in the human body for ten years.

Activated by a specific Pheromone, the genetically modified Plasmodium would quickly destroy the host's brain as soon as the host came into contact with it.

This Pheromone could spread through the air, then enter the human body through the skin and respiration. Its effective range could reach around three thousand meters.

Combined with the Pheromone Hive model of the Biological Computer, it could basically enable control within a small area.

Even if Chen Jianxiong found another way to disable the Biochip and Administrator Program on the surface, the genetically modified Plasmodium in his body could still serve as a backup measure and deliver a fatal blow.

Two days later.

When Chen Jianxiong woke up in his hospital bed, he found that his head had been shaved and that there were some barely noticeable wounds on his scalp.

He knew that his brain had definitely been tampered with, but what could he do? He was desperate. He could only grit his teeth and accept reality.

Holding a test report, Li Qingye reminded him, "You're awake? You can now silently repeat 866721 in your mind. That's the startup password for your Administrator Program. You'll come to like it."

866721?

Suddenly, a voice sounded in his mind, and something resembling a computer screen appeared across his retina.

This was virtual neural imaging technology. The Biochip connected to his optic nerve cells and sent simulated signals, making his brain believe his eyes were seeing something.

In reality, there was no virtual screen floating in the air before Chen Jianxiong. The Biochip was simply deceiving his brain.

After trying it out, Chen Jianxiong was extremely shocked. Clearly, this technology was beyond anything he had imagined.

The Administrator Program offered a wide range of support functions, including [Eidetic Memory], [Assisted Calculation], [Data Retrieval], [Data Entry], [Combat Substitute], [Sensory Shielding], and [Engineer].

With the Administrator Program and Chen Jianxiong's adaptability as a Natural Person, his overall abilities would become exceptionally well-rounded.

However, there were drawbacks too.

For example, just now, the moment the thought of kidnapping Li Qingye crossed his mind, his body had instantly gone rigid.

Seeing Chen Jianxiong freeze, Li Qingye gave him a meaningful reminder. "Don't overthink it. I told you I wouldn't harm my own people. You don't want to become a mindless soldier, do you?"

"Thank you for the reminder, Boss." Chen Jianxiong immediately backed down.

Actually, he had only gotten carried away for a moment after gaining these abilities. Now he had come to his senses and accepted reality.

Besides, Li Qingye possessed such powerful technology. His prospects for the future were boundless. If Chen Jianxiong followed him, he was sure to do well too.

Once he thought it through, he suddenly felt as though the sky had opened up and the world had grown vast.