Has the Dust Settled?

Central City No. 003.

Qin Yiguan walked alone on the street.

It's still the same as before—quiet and tidy.

Only a few nanny robots could be seen sporadically, shuttling back and forth along their predetermined routes.

In the Central City area, there are almost no individual lights.

As the boy's footsteps landed, ripples of light spread out from beneath the blue crystal-like floor.

It's clear that none of the devices can recognize its presence.

But this floor, in particular, can provide its own light.

The boy shook his head, not understanding.

Ahead lies the boy's destination.

Residence No. e4965.

Climbing through the window, the scene inside the house was exactly the same as before.

Wrathful Jiao Shensan Mechanical Proxy remained motionless in its walking posture, and all signal transmissions were completely cut off.

Jiao Shensan's body was still lying in the Nutrient Pod, and the display next to him still showed that he was in a vegetative state.

The seven Nutrient Pod above his head were only maintaining the most basic functions and were being cooled down; the electronic panels displayed a 'brain dead' status.

These Nutrient Pod once diverted Jiao Shensan's brain nerve signals, nurturing seven consciousnesses. However, consciousness is intangible, which is equivalent to nothing, leaving him frozen in vain.

Moreover, the Digital Human born from these Nutrient Pod had long since died in the Experimental Zone. They did not have real physical bodies, and therefore no health data. So the Nutrient Pod assumed they were brain dead.

It has to be said.

The Gemini Superbrain were indeed deceived by this tactic.

Simply put, it's about creating something from nothing.

The boy looked around.

Time seemed to stand still here, and it even felt as if all the equipment was covered in a layer of ash.

There will be no further changes.

"Doctor Jiao."

"The dust has settled."

The boy looked up at the Nutrient Pod in front of him, where Dr. Jiao Shensan seemed to be 'sleeping soundly'.

"I've gathered the leaders of the Longevity Society together and killed them all."

"This organization is like a weathered skeleton, scattered by the wind."

"Of course, I still need to think about this carefully."

"It cannot be ruled out that they may still have a hidden leader."

"It doesn't matter."

"As long as they show their faces."

"I'll go on, and kill them all."

"Although my methods were cruel, I believe I did nothing wrong."

In short.

The boy looked at Jiao Shensan behind the glass tank, "To avoid being used by them, to ensure that your knowledge wouldn't cause evil consequences, and to save the lives of tens of millions of people, you chose to end your own life."

You deserve respect and to be remembered.

"Unfortunately, of all the people in the world, I'm the only one who can come to visit you."

As the boy spoke, he took a wildflower he had picked along the way from his pocket and placed it in front of Jiao Shensan's Nutrient Pod. "Doctor Jiao, don't worry."

The boy nodded slightly.

It was at this time.

Doctor Jiao's Nutrient Pod began to flicker slightly, followed by a beeping alarm.

'User's health data is abnormal.'

'User's brainwaves are disordered.'

Immediately, the text on the empty screen turned red—'User has died.'

The boy paused.

Looking at Doctor Jiao's face, it was no different from before; he still looked like he was fast asleep.

However, all the health monitoring data on one side were gradually cleared to zero.

The boy was moved. "The reason you're holding on, retaining a sliver of consciousness, is so you can finally relax once you see the outcome."

Have a safe journey.

The boy bowed.

It was at this time.

Inside the Nutrient Pod, a sudden burst of light caused the boy to look up in surprise.

A faint white light emanated from Doctor Jiao's mouth, eyes, and ears. Then, thin, white-light-emitting threads, resembling transistors, slowly grew out of his mouth, eyes, and ears.

On those silk threads, there were also very tiny specks of light, evaporating and diffusing, like fluorescent spores, slowly drifting inside the Nutrient Pod.

This scene, though eerie, was also inexplicably sacred.

"Cerebral Nerve Dissolution?"

Qin Yiguan stared wide-eyed at the mysterious and magnificent scene before him.

Before.

Officer Wang once explained why the Metaverse restricts the login time for patients with brain diseases.

That's because, 80 years ago, there were several incidents of users dying mysteriously.

"A total of 23 people in two years."

"They all have one thing in common: either they are born with a defect in their brain's physiological structure, or their brain's physiological structure is defective due to acquired diseases."

"Inside the deceased's brain, the entire central nervous system, and parts of the spinal nerve roots... dissolved."

"First it turned into a liquid, flowing from the deceased's facial features, and then it solidified into white, thread-like substances."

From a distance, the corpse lay flat in the Nutrient Pod, with copious amounts of 'silkworm silk' oozing from its facial features.

"Then those 'silk threads,' as if weathered, continuously shed their pure white down, slowly drifting into the air."

Qin Yiguan recalled Officer Wang's exact words.

Officer Wang said at the time that the scene was incredibly bizarre and terrifying, more horrifying and unsettling than any murder case.

The boy at the time, however, felt that the scene was not only not terrifying, but even somewhat sacred, and he even imagined hymns to angels.

Now.

The boy witnessed it firsthand.

He still thinks so.

"Logically, human consciousness is data generated by the exchange of bioelectricity between countless neurons in the brain."

"If the body dies, then the brain has no source of energy."

"All activity will cease, and consciousness will cease as well."

The boy looked at the scene before him and said, "Although it seems contradictory, I hope that Doctor Jiao, you are already in heaven."

Beep beep beep.

A message came through the boy's smartwatch.

' Qin Yiguan '

'Within the Metaverse Experimental Zone, Fusion Rate +10%.'

The current Fusion Rate is 15%.

Within the Consciousness Matrix, the overdraft limits for all abilities have been replenished, and the development ceiling has been raised to 15%.

' Brain Dark Zone A06 [[Gestalt Collapse] -- Development Rate 5% (Triggered under specific conditions, slightly controllable)'

' Brain Hyperactivity Zone B05 [Shadow Syndrome] -- Development Rate 5% (Imitation Source Power *7)'

' Brain Abnormal Zone A89 [Conscience-Free Syndrome] -- Development Rate 5% (Overcoming Conventional Emotional Control)'

' Brain Restricted Zone A01 [Cosmic Phobia] -- Development Rate 0%.'

' Brain Restricted Zone A07 [Dissociation VI] -- Development Rate 10% (Black Calamity, Guardian, Child, Personification of Three Personalities)'

' Brain Restricted Zone A03 is being activated.'

Note: Base Fusion Rate 15% -- Within the Metaverse Experimental Zone, individual physical qualities, character dimensional attributes, accuracy, insight, perception, and computational ability are all improved by an overall 150%.

The boy stared blankly at the data.

All abilities improved without them even realizing it.

The Fusion Rate owed before have finally been 'paid off', and the previously increased values have not been lost!

Moreover, even the most basic Fusion Rate actually has an effect.

Entering the Experimental Zone can enhance multiple personal abilities. With a 15% Fusion Rate, the improvement is 150%, or 0.5 times. If the Fusion Rate reaches 100%, wouldn't that be a 10-fold increase?

If strength alone were multiplied by 10, then even a casual movement would be Superman, and that doesn't even include any additional abilities.

No wonder.

Those competitors with a 60% Fusion Rate can be so formidable.

Brain Restricted Zone A03 is being activated?

Do I have any other mental illnesses?

How come I didn't know that!

As for the 15% Fusion Rate?

I had always held a 2% position; it was only after Ke Qiming's death that I received that position.

Then, when killing the thousands of subordinates of the Longevity Society, some individuals would gain 0.01%, ultimately contributing a total of 3 points of Fusion Rate.

And this largest component, the 10% Fusion Rate?

The boy looked up at Jiao Shensan inside the Nutrient Pod.

When his wish was fulfilled and he passed away... my fortune increased by 10%!