Chapter 382 - 350: Guan Tong’s Suspicion

Chapter 382: Chapter 350: Guan Tong’s Suspicion

"The currently available conversion process for humans is as follows: signal scanning, scenario simulation, positive feedback correction, and a multi-stage segmented backup and restoration system... For process one, the governing formulas are as follows..."

A massive stream of information in natural language poured from the Alien Intelligence, interspersed with numerous mathematical formulas that left everyone at the scene looking completely bewildered.

Meanwhile, in the Human Federation council room, those watching the live broadcast broke out in a collective gasp.

For the first time in a long while, a cheerful atmosphere filled the perpetually tense room.

"Humanity has finally obtained truly valuable information!" Mary said, her voice filled with excitement. "Once our researchers process and apply all these codes and formulas, we’ll certainly be able to achieve a new way of life!"

"Congratulations, Councilor Mary! The Soloma Empire has reaped a huge reward for its troubles this time!"

"To be precise, all the member nations of the Human Federation, and indeed all of humanity, have reaped a huge reward," Toravt reminded them. "After all, Soloma previously promised to make the technology open-source."

"That’s true."

"To actually implement these technologies, we’ll still have to rely on you three major powers!"

The smaller nations lacked the manpower and resources, so they could only place their hopes in the three major powers.

Mary was faintly displeased by Toravt’s reminder but said nothing. As the representative for the Soloma Empire, she spoke for the Empire as a whole. Since she had promised to make the technology open-source at the last meeting, she certainly wouldn’t go back on her word.

’But as for *how* to make it open-source, and how *much* to share... there might be a little wiggle room there.’

As Mary was lost in thought, a councilor remarked with a sigh, "But the price we paid this time wasn’t small. Nearly thirty thousand Parasites is no small number."

"What are thirty thousand Parasites compared to such precious technology?"

Mary, flush with success, spoke with a hint of contempt.

"Never mind mere Parasites. Even trading thirty thousand real human lives for it would be worth it."

The room fell silent. Gao Liangwei then spoke gravely, "Councilor Mary, I wonder if you’d be included in those thirty thousand humans? Retract your statement. Immediately."

"...I retract it."

Mary realized her mistake. Regardless of her private thoughts, she knew that such a statement would make her a public target.

A councilor changed the subject. "The success of this first exchange is a good thing, but we’ll have to wait for the next transport of Parasites to ask the second question. What’s the status of the allied forces in the Black Banner Country?"

"The allied forces have achieved total suppression of the capital, Wuze City," said Gao Liangwei. "While our superiority in weaponry and personnel was a factor, achieving it this quickly suggests the enemy was deliberately avoiding a direct confrontation."

"Deliberately avoiding us?"

"According to intelligence from some rescued Ascenders in the resistance, a leader has emerged from the upper echelons of the Parasites. The others call it the ’Prophet’."

"A Prophet? How is it different from other Parasites?"

"We have no information on that at the moment."

One of humanity’s biggest problems in dealing with the Parasites was the lack of information.

Influenced by their spores, the Parasites were absolutely loyal to their so-called "great mission of propagation" and would never reveal any of their species’ secrets. Not even special items or extreme torture could make them talk.

"If we can master the technology from the Alien Intelligence quickly enough, perhaps it could be used to extract memories from the Parasites?" one councilor mused.

"Hmm... perhaps."

"It seems things aren’t over at the Landing Site yet?"

Everyone looked up at the screen. At the Landing Site, the Alien Intelligence was still explaining the technical principles.

"...It’s not just taking a long time to eat this time. Looks like it’s going to talk for a long time, too."

...

「The Landing Site」

This was the first time anyone on-site had ever seen the Alien Intelligence be so loquacious, speaking on and on without end.

The soldiers were cautious at first, but they gradually relaxed and began talking amongst themselves.

"Has this thing been talking for a full half-hour?"

"I can’t understand a word of it, anyway..."

"It must be some really complex technology. We can just leave it for the scientists to figure out!"

Multiple high-precision recording devices had been set up around the Alien Intelligence, ensuring that no matter how much it spoke, nothing would be missed. The complete recording would later be sent to researchers from various nations for analysis.

Guan Tong listened for the first two or three minutes, then stopped paying attention.

He wasn’t a technical expert, so as valuable as this knowledge was, there was no point in him listening to it.

Besides, Sikokun had informed him that the communication channel for him and his partner, Shangyuan Zi, was ready.

A communication device had already been dispatched and delivered to Shangyuan Zi in the nearby town.

Guan Tong contacted her on the channel immediately, which would save him from using one of his rare Communication Secret Scrolls.

"Shangyuan, can you hear me?"

"Yes," Shangyuan Zi’s voice came through. "Someone just found me and gave me a communicator. Will this channel be monitored?"

"I don’t know if it’s monitored or not," Guan Tong said. "Let’s just stick to things that won’t matter if we’re overheard."

"Understood."

"Let’s get down to business. Was there a large group of people from the town who tried to storm the outer perimeter of the Landing Site earlier?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any leads on that?"

"Last night, I overheard a few people talking in a dark corner of the town. They said they wanted to get into the Landing Site but lacked the manpower, so they decided to use the other people in town. They also mentioned ’Bishop’ and ’Heresy’."

"Bishop... Heresy?" Guan Tong frowned. "Sounds like those few were followers of the Fire Worship Cult."

"That’s what I thought, too."

"So they’re the ones who incited the others gathered in town to rush the outer perimeter together?"

"They certainly did their share of inciting, but a man named Louis was the one who really got the crowd to move. This Louis claimed to be a member of the contact delegation and the first person to formally question the Alien Intelligence... But I don’t know if he was working with those cultists."

"Louis... All right, I’ve got it. Any other intel?"

"That’s it. How are things on your end?"

"Fine."

Guan Tong briefly summarized the situation at the Landing Site.

Shangyuan Zi didn’t show much of a reaction, simply asking, "Should I continue to observe from the town?"

Guan Tong thought for a moment. "If I’m not mistaken, that town is under military control now, isn’t it?"

The Sisiya authorities might have turned a blind eye before, but after the incident at the perimeter, they were bound to crack down hard on the town and its gathering of people.

"Yes," Shangyuan Zi said. "Many Sisiya soldiers have entered the town and are sending away any outsiders who don’t have a valid reason to be here. They were going to make me leave too, but they stopped insisting after the officer who brought me the communicator arrived."

Guan Tong said, "In that case, you should leave too. Once the military takes control, there’s no more value in observing the town."

"Leave? And go where?"

"Go to the nearest city and wait for me... No, hold on."

Guan Tong frowned, a sudden thought occurring to him.

Ever since he learned of the incident at the outer perimeter, he’d had a nagging feeling that something was wrong.

After hearing the information from Shangyuan Zi, he felt the problem was even more serious.

’Are the followers of the Fire Worship Cult really that stupid? Even if they could incite a mob, how could they possibly hope to break through a line of elite, armed soldiers? Could they not see the immense disparity in strength? Or were they naively hoping the soldiers would compromise?’

’Even if they were that stupid, would the superior who ordered this be just as foolish? Or... was this just a diversion, a smokescreen...?’

’If the enemy wanted to cause chaos, what could they do besides a frontal assault?’

Guan Tong subconsciously glanced toward Sikokun.

He remembered what Sikokun had said when he first arrived at the Landing Site.

"For any unauthorized personnel to get near the Alien Intelligence, there is no other way but to break through the impregnable wall of soldiers head-on."

’Yes, a frontal assault is almost impossible.’

’But what if not from the front? Is there really no other way?’

RUMBLE—HISSSS—

A large truck transporting Parasites drove up and stopped, its engine roaring.

Guan Tong’s heart suddenly pounded!

"Don’t tell me the key is the Parasites?!"

"What?" Shangyuan Zi asked, confused.

"...Shangyuan, listen to me. I have a suspicion," Guan Tong said gravely. "Whether it was the Fire Worship Cult or the Parasites themselves, all the frontal attacks were just a feint. A cover."

"A cover for what?"

"To cover for certain Parasites. These Parasites are being sent from the allied front in the Black Banner Country. They’re all supposed to be injected with a drug to put them in a comatose state, but if any of them manage to stay awake... they could cause huge trouble at a critical moment!"