ATDIWR Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Cleverness Nearing the Demonic? Cloning?

“Did you bring the guards The Base assigned to you?” Gu Jinsheng asked again.

Ji An is currently an ordinary person. His personal value is too important, and The Base was afraid he would be in danger, so they assigned him two Intermediate-level Power Users after the commendation meeting.

Previously, when Gu Jinsheng was home, with him there, the two Power Users had no use, so he gave them leave.

Now that Gu Jinsheng was back at work, the two Power Users were recalled by Gu Jinsheng.

“I brought them,” Ji An replied.

Gu Jinsheng was very busy, people were constantly looking for him. After a few instructions to Ji An, Gu Jinsheng hung up the phone.

Wu Youyang was so awkward his toes curled into the ground. “Um, Boss Ji, I didn’t mean to report your whereabouts to Commander Gu. It’s just that given your current mental state, it’s not suitable for research.”

Ji An said, “I understand your good intentions.”

Wu Youyang knew Ji An didn’t plan to pursue it further, and immediately said, “Boss Ji, I promise I won’t casually reveal your information to Commander Gu again in the future.”

Ji An said indifferently, “There’s nothing about me that he shouldn’t know.”

Wu Youyang was startled by Ji An’s words, his heart pounding. Perhaps Ji An didn’t even realize the full meaning of that sentence.

“Let me introduce you to these two Power Users. They are my guards, named Yin Fang and Yu Xi, respectively. They will follow me long-term from now on. When I return later, please grant them access in the system.”

“Okay.” Wu Youyang greeted Yin Fang and Yu Xi, and Ji An led them towards the Command Center.

It was working hours at the Command Center, and people were coming and going.

Logically, Ji An belonged to the Research Institute, and was an external member at that. Even Han Yaokun, the head of the Research Institute, didn’t have the right to freely enter the Command Center, let alone Ji An.

But Ji An was different. He wasn’t officially part of the Research Institute, yet he could enter it freely and use all sorts of equipment. His research projects didn’t require approval from the Command Center, and the research results belonged entirely to Ji An personally, with him having the right to dispose of them as he wished.

Similarly, in the Command Center, Ji An was a special existence. He was entered into the Command Center system as a technical advisor, and could enter the Command Center at will.

“Boss Ji, you’re here. Over here.” As soon as Ji An swiped his information to go upstairs, Gu Jinsheng got the news and sent Wan Xueying down to meet him.

Wan Xueying led them into an anti-monitoring and anti-eavesdropping office on the tenth floor and said to Yin Fang and Yu Xi, “You two can wait by the door, or go to the lounge next door. Boss Ji will let you know when he’s done.”

“Understood,” Yin Fang and Yu Xi replied immediately.

Although Wan Xueying gave them two options and they could rest in the lounge next door, neither of them left. They stood stiffly by the door guarding it.

Ji An pushed open the door. Gu Jinsheng, Kong Zhongcheng, and Zhou Qin were already there, as well as Fang Rurong.

Gu Jinsheng explained to Ji An, “These ten people are Healing-type Power Users sent from M Country. All ten are Level 7 Power Users.”

Healing-type Power Users, along with Mental-type and Space-type Power Users, are known as the three major rare-type Power Users.

Zombies with these three types of abilities are even rarer, even more so than Power Users with three rare abilities. After all, Power Users still know how to control their desire for cannibalism, while Zombies do not.

Zombies with these three rare abilities are weak in the initial stage, with low strength, making them the best source of blood and food for other Zombies that cannot hunt humans. This leads to the already rare three types of rare-ability Zombies becoming even rarer.

It’s even harder for Power Users to hunt Zombies with these three rare abilities.

Therefore, the main way for Power Users with these three rare abilities to advance is to temper their abilities.

It sounds easy, but it is particularly difficult to truly cultivate.

For example, Healing-type Power Users have to treat patients one by one, honing their ability over years, and must be careful not to overconsume their ability, which could render it useless. So it is very difficult for Healing-type Power Users to level up. But now, M Country has suddenly sent ten Healing-type Power Users.

Jing Shi Base didn’t even have one, but M Country could easily send ten, which is enough to show that ten Power Users are not that rare for M Country.

However, even so, how could M Country be so kind as to suddenly send ten over at once?

Ji An asked Gu Jinsheng, “What is M Country plotting?”

“Nutrient solution,” Gu Jinsheng said.

Ji An understood and looked at Zhou Qin.

“M Country wants nutrient solution and still dares to plot against our Jing Shi Base’s deputy commander? That’s a pipe dream,” Gu Jinsheng said. “They can cause trouble, and I can break the contract and not supply the nutrient solution.”

M Country was already desperate for supplies and was waiting for the nutrient solution to save lives. But Devitt suddenly pulled this stunt. If he had succeeded, it would have been fine, but now he not only failed but was also caught by Gu Jinsheng.

Gu Jinsheng naturally couldn’t let it go and directly tore up the contract with M Country.

M Country’s internal structure was never monolithic. Seeing the nutrient solution that was within grasp about to fly away, internal turmoil immediately erupted.

After fighting amongst themselves, they finally pushed all the blame onto the base where Devitt was located, threatening to unite and attack Devitt’s base if they didn’t give Jing Shi Base a satisfactory explanation.

In fact, the assassination of Jing Shi Base’s commander wasn’t just an idea of Devitt’s base; it was the result of a joint discussion among all bases, and the action wasn’t carried out by just one base. But now that something had gone wrong, the other bases immediately changed their tune and pushed Devitt’s base forward to take the blame.

And to appease Gu Jinsheng, they increased the exchange of goods again and sent ten of the legendary high-level Mental-type Power Users.

Jing Shi Base accepted this condition, while also proposing that nutrient solution could be supplied to any M Country base *except* the one where Devitt was located.

Wasn’t Devitt’s base just a tool base? Then let it be a tool base even more thoroughly.

Ji An nodded, no longer suspicious.

The Power Users had finished examining Zhou Qin’s leg injury. The leader of the Healing-type Power Users was named Fillemon, a Peak Level 7 Healing-type Power User.

As a top Healing-type Power User, Fillemon had her arrogance. Even as a hostage brought to Jing Shi Base, she still retained a haughty pride in her bones.

Fillemon proudly said to Gu Jinsheng, “His leg bone wasn’t preserved. If the leg bone not infected by the Zombie virus had been preserved, then I could have healed it.”

Fillemon’s tone was very arrogant, as if she was speaking to a bunch of bumpkins who had never seen the world. Her words seemed to complain that they didn’t even know such a simple thing as preserving an uninfected leg bone.

Zhou Qin was full of hope at first, fantasizing about the legendary Level 7 Power User’s miraculous healing ability. But the answer he got was the same as that given by Fang Rurong and the others. He was already disappointed, and then provoked by Fillemon’s rude tone, he instantly became furious.

“If there was a way to preserve a leg bone not infected by the Zombie virus, it wouldn’t be up to you Level 7 Healing-type Power Users from M Country to swagger around our Jing Shi Base! Our base’s Power Users would have healed me long ago,” Zhou Qin retorted. “The legendary high-level Healing-type Power Users are nothing special!”

Fillemon probably didn’t expect Zhou Qin to dare to be so rude to her. Her eyes widened, looking completely incredulous.

Wan Xueying said coldly, “I think you should understand your status. You are not here to help us specially; we don’t owe you anything. Your country owes us, and is sending you here to treat our base’s injured as compensation.”

Gu Jinsheng said expressionlessly, “If you can’t help at all, kill them!”

Ji An also said, “My lab just happens to be missing the crystal cores of high-level Healing-type Power Users. I can take a few back to study. Maybe one day I’ll figure it out and can create a few top-tier Healing-type Power Users for our base to play with.”

Seeing that the several people’s expressions were serious and not just threatening them, and indeed knowing why they were there before arriving, Fillemon and the others turned pale with fear, afraid that Gu Jinsheng would really dig out their brain’s crystal cores for research.

Even if Jing Shi Base did that, M Country couldn’t do much. At most, they would just take the opportunity to demand more nutrient solution.

But by then, they would already be dead. What would it matter to them if M Country got more nutrient solution?

Fillemon was not someone who didn’t know better. In fact, her attitude just now wasn’t brainless behavior. She deliberately acted that way to test Jing Shi Base’s attitude.

Now, finding Jing Shi Base unexpectedly tough, she immediately softened.

Fillemon said, “High-level Healing-type abilities also have limitations. We can bring the dead back to life and heal bones, but we really can’t create something from nothing. Even if there is a little bit of uninfected cell tissue, we can regenerate it into complete tissue and heal the Power User.”

Ji An caught the loophole in Fillemon’s words. “Power Users can’t, which means ordinary people can?”

Fillemon didn’t expect Ji An to be so sharp, picking up the loophole in her words so quickly. She bit her lower lip tightly in annoyance.

“Yes,” Fillemon said. “Ordinary people and Power Users are different.”

This is certain. Putting aside other things, even for injuries that Healing-type Power Users can heal, they can only treat Power Users of the same level. Cross-level treatment for Power Users above their own ability level, even for minor injuries, is a challenge for Healing-type Power Users.

As for Power Users themselves, the awakening of abilities not only provides an external boost of power but also enhances the Power User’s physical quality, greatly reducing the chance of illness, making them almost immune to sickness.

Secondly, it also enhances the Power User’s five senses, making them more developed. Many people who were nearsighted with hundreds of degrees before the Apocalypse, after awakening abilities, not only took off their glasses but also had eyesight so good it was almost like having a thousand-mile vision. In terms of hearing, there are also examples of deaf people suddenly being able to hear sounds.

Abilities can also delay aging and bring new vitality. Research based on cells extracted from Power Users’ bodies shows that a Power User’s normal lifespan can be extended by ten to twenty years compared to ordinary people.

As the ability level increases, the lifespan will also be extended accordingly.

This research result has been confirmed. A small number of elderly people who were originally in their seventies or eighties and whose lives were nearing their end suddenly awakened abilities, and are now walking briskly and living well.

Ji An immediately thought of the heroes who contributed to The Base, eventually losing their abilities and losing limbs.

Gu Jinsheng naturally thought of it too. “Kong Zhongcheng, go and get the files.”

“Yes.” Kong Zhongcheng understood Gu Jinsheng’s meaning and prepared to arrange treatment according to merit points, starting with the highest.

Fillemon’s face turned even paler. “Such treatment violates the laws of human survival and requires a great price. You must think carefully.”

“What price?” Ji An asked.

“Abilities,” Fillemon said. “If it’s an ordinary person, accepting regeneration treatment can heal their severed leg, but from then on, they will have absolutely no hope of awakening abilities.

If they are unfortunately infected with the Zombie virus one day, their resistance will be greatly reduced, at least 70% lower than people who haven’t received treatment. Even if they luckily escape, they will definitely not be able to awaken abilities.”

Ji An suddenly asked, “Then what harm does regenerating a severed leg for an ordinary person cause you Healing-type Power Users?”

Fillemon looked at Ji An again. This person was really too sharp; he always grasped the key to the problem.

Everyone present looked at Ji An, completely unaware of why Ji An would suddenly ask this. When they looked at Fillemon again, seeing her pale face and bloodless lips, they knew that Ji An asked this because he noticed something they hadn’t.

Gu Jinsheng threatened, “I advise you to speak the truth. I don’t have patience for that kind of stuff.”

Fillemon could only say, “The price is abilities. Regenerating a severed limb is extremely draining for Healing-type abilities. Every time an ordinary person’s severed leg is regenerated, a Healing-type Power User’s ability is rendered useless.”

Sacrificing the ability of a Healing-type Power User who can treat countless people for a seemingly worthless ordinary person seems like an extremely unfavorable deal. The social value of the two cannot be equated; it’s like killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Moreover, the ordinary person who is healed has absolutely no possibility of awakening abilities again.

After Fillemon honestly confessed, she looked at Ji An and asked, “May I ask, sir, where did you discover that I was hiding information detrimental to me?”

Ji An said nonchalantly, “Your M Country has never been benevolent. Sending you here to help our base this time wasn’t out of kindness, but out of necessity. I’m afraid before you came, you were given some secret missions, nothing but tasks detrimental to the development of our base.

Then, if treating an ordinary person’s severed leg can fundamentally and completely cut off their possibility of awakening abilities, this is a great thing for your M Country. How could you abandon such a golden opportunity?”

Ji An sneered, “People have selfish desires. Only if this great thing for M Country affects your personal self-interest, potentially plunging your situation from heaven to hell, would you deeply resist it and be unwilling to do it.

Something that can send a high-level Healing-type Power User from heaven to hell, besides losing their ability, there is no other explanation.”

Fillemon was confused. “Such sharpness, are you a Mental-type Power User? But I don’t feel any energy fluctuations from you?”

There is a ‘radar’ among Power Users; they can sense each other’s energy fluctuations.

Of course, Power Users strong enough can deliberately hide this energy fluctuation, but generally, this hiding can only deceive Power Users below their own ability level. It is difficult to deceive Power Users with higher ability levels.

Fillemon is already a high-level Power User. If Ji An had abilities, there’s no reason she couldn’t sense them.

Ji An smiled indifferently. “I used to be, not anymore.”

A trace of regret flashed in Fillemon’s eyes, followed by relief. Having lost his Mental-type ability and still being so sharp, how terrifying would this person be if he hadn’t lost his Mental-type ability? Assuming he hadn’t lost his ability, once he reached high level, he would be unimaginably powerful.

Such a person growing up in Xia Country is a threat to M Country.

Gu Jinsheng asked, “Do you have any way to restore the abilities of Power Users whose abilities were lost due to overconsumption?”

“Yes,” Fillemon answered quickly this time, but before Gu Jinsheng and the others could celebrate, she continued, “Get infected with the Zombie virus again and gamble on that 20% possibility again.”

Getting infected with the Zombie virus again isn’t gambling on a 20% possibility, but a possibility far lower than 20%.

The probability of a person being infected with the Zombie virus twice and surviving both times to awaken abilities is definitely lower than the probability of being infected initially and awakening abilities.

Ji An couldn’t take this risk, nor could Jing Shi Base allow him to take this risk.

Fillemon’s tone when she said this was suggestive; she genuinely hoped Ji An would die from the Zombie virus.

If M Country’s interests and her personal interests didn’t conflict, she would be very willing to help M Country.

Ji An asked, “Actually, I’m very curious about one question. Is it that your country’s high-level Healing-type Power Users cannot heal severed limbs, or that all high-level Healing-type Power Users cannot?”

This question was very interesting, almost directly pointing out that there was a problem with M Country’s method of increasing ability levels.

They had so many high-level Power Users this time, plus the previous high-level Power Users like Kloss, it was impossible for Jing Shi Base not to notice their abnormal abilities.

Fillemon said, “I don’t know. Our base doesn’t have any Healing-type Power Users who reached high level through self-cultivation.

It is said that such Power Users can heal the regeneration of ordinary people’s severed limbs, and it won’t cripple their own abilities, nor will it hinder ordinary people from continuing to awaken abilities. But treating the regeneration of Power Users’ severed limbs will cause them to lose their abilities due to overconsumption.”

Ji An’s fair fingers rubbed his jawbone, lost in thought. “That is to say, it can be assumed that you cannot heal, not because high-level Healing-type abilities themselves cannot heal.

But because your abilities are superficial and your levels are unstable.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t digging out the Power User crystal cores from your brains and absorbing them directly allow for healing?”

Logically speaking, Power Users can only absorb Zombie crystal cores of the same attribute.

But Healing-type abilities and Mental-type abilities among the three rare abilities are different.

These two types of ability crystal cores can be absorbed across attributes.

Healing-type crystal cores, when absorbed across attributes by Power Users, can heal their hidden injuries.

Mental-type crystal cores, when absorbed across attributes by Power Users, can increase their ability level.

Fillemon was dumbfounded. She had no idea how Ji An had obtained this useful information without her mentioning anything at all.

“You can’t do that! Absorbing Power User crystal cores will cause mania! Do you want your Power Users to suffer from mental disorder and eventually become mentally ill?”

Actually, when Ji An voiced that speculation just now, Zhou Qin had a moment of excitement.

But then Fillemon’s words knocked him back to reality.

Being a lame person with a severed leg or being a person with four limbs but mentally ill, that is a good question.

Ji An shrugged nonchalantly. “Don’t be so flustered. I was just guessing casually. It seems I guessed correctly.”

“Last question,” Gu Jinsheng asked. “What special method did M Country use to rapidly increase Power Users’ ability levels?”

At the auction, M Country produced a large number of Mental-type Power User crystal cores, and they were all high-level Power User crystal cores. Even if they wanted to plot against Xia Country, this scale was a bit too large.

Originally, Gu Jinsheng thought M Country only had a method to rapidly increase Mental-type abilities. Now, seeing Fillemon, and recalling Kloss, who was executed by Jing Shi Base previously, whose ability was superficial and level seemed inconsistent, Gu Jinsheng understood that M Country didn’t just have a means to quickly increase Mental-type ability levels, but a means to increase all ability levels.

Fillemon didn’t expect that just by coming to Jing Shi Base, and without saying anything, she would be exposed completely.

How was she going to explain this back home? If she said she didn’t say anything, but these people, especially that handsome man who had lost his Mental-type ability, was too clever, almost demonic, and guessed it himself, would anyone believe her?

Fillemon was about to cry from anxiety. She said, “I don’t know, I don’t know anything. Since I awakened my Mental-type ability, someone has regularly provided us with Mental-type crystal cores. All we have to do is absorb the crystal cores every day to increase our abilities.”

Ji An smiled and said, “Did you forget to mention that you absorb Zombie crystal cores? And there is another group of people who absorb Power User crystal cores, and the crystal cores from these people’s brains are eventually sold to our country, to Xia Country people, in an attempt to fundamentally destroy our country’s Power Users.”

Gu Jinsheng, Wan Xueying, Kong Zhongcheng, and Zhou Qin all looked at Ji An at the same time. This time, they really didn’t know how Ji An had extracted so much information from Fillemon’s single sentence.

Fillemon didn’t dare to look into Ji An’s eyes anymore. She always felt that Ji An’s Mental-type ability had not been crippled. He might have even used mental control on her without her knowing, asking for all the information she knew.

Fillemon refused to speak anymore, not a single word more to Ji An.

Ji An was not in a hurry. He sat on the sofa, slowly took a sip of tea, and leisurely said, “I sincerely thank you for your arrival. You not only answered many questions for me but also gave me inspiration from your country’s method of cultivating Power Users, providing a new idea for my stagnant experiment. I have now opened another door.”

This sentence startled Gu Jinsheng. Others didn’t know what experiment Ji An was conducting, but he did. Ji An had never hidden it from him; it was a human cell and tissue regeneration experiment!

If this experiment could succeed, then humanity would make a leap in the field of medicine, entering a whole new medical domain. Like space storage items and nutrient solution, it would be another great achievement of epoch-making significance.

Fillemon didn’t know how terrifying the experiment Ji An was currently conducting was, but a Mental-type Power User, even a former Mental-type Power User, was enough to make Fillemon feel uneasy.

Fillemon quickly glanced at Ji An and immediately lowered her head, seemingly afraid that Ji An would see other secrets in her eyes.

Ji An smiled. “Actually, you don’t have to be like this. I already know your country’s method for rapidly increasing abilities.”

Fillemon suddenly looked up and met Ji An’s eyes. She felt that Ji An’s clear eyes seemed to see through everything about her, all her hidden secrets, and even her entire soul was exposed under the gaze of his eyes. Fillemon suddenly closed her eyes.

Her voice trembled slightly. “That’s impossible. I don’t even know, so how could you know?”

“Cloning.” Ji An softly uttered two words, causing Fillemon to lose all her strength. She collapsed to the ground.

“Impossible, this is impossible…” Fillemon murmured. “You must have used mental control on me, otherwise you couldn’t know.”

Ji An shrugged. “This is a regrettable matter, for you as well as for me. I truly did lose my Mental-type ability.”

“Then how did you know? How could you know?” Fillemon screamed in disbelief.

Ji An spread his hands. “Another regrettable thing for your country is that I also happen to be a researcher!”

When Fillemon was led away, her eyes were still filled with intense disbelief. As she walked out of the room, she said, “It’s a good thing you lost your Mental-type ability! You are too terrifying!”

“Thank you,” Ji An accepted this as a compliment and thanked her politely.