Chapter 464: The Super Genius of the Eden Project |
When Guan Tong arrived at Base No. 2, Zhang Minglu was already waiting at the entrance.
"I originally planned to talk with him myself, but after thinking it over, I figured it'd be better for you to chat with him first." Zhang Minglu said, "After all, you're the one who brought him back. I think he trusts you more than the Countermeasures Research Office. Once you're done, I'll talk to him on behalf of the office."
Guan Tong nodded.
"The office has a lot of questions for him. You can lay the groundwork first—it's related to the Suroma government's plans." As he brought up the topic, Zhang Minglu's face showed a worried expression.
"Based on all the intelligence we've gathered, it seems the Suroma Empire's Senate, led by Bruce, might be conducting some secret plan that could endanger all of humanity. The situation doesn't look good. Especially after the Dialoguer said there are limited slots for passing through, some people might go to extreme lengths to secure their spot, doing crazy things that disregard others' lives. We have to stay vigilant and stop them in time."
Guan Tong agreed.
When they carried out the assassination mission earlier, Suroma's demand to capture the Fire Thief Cult's Your Holiness alive rather than kill him had already been a warning sign.
After chatting with Zhang Minglu for a while, he went to the ward. Adam was leaning against the headboard, his golden hair spilling over his chest, his clear blue eyes staring blankly at the sky outside the window.
Hearing the door, he turned his head.
Guan Tong closed the door and walked over to the bed. "How are you doing?"
"Not bad." He flexed his only remaining left arm, striking a muscle-showing pose. "Good thing I didn't sleep too long—my muscles haven't atrophied."
"..."
Adam turned serious. "Anyway, I want to sincerely thank you. Thank you for saving me."
"You should also thank Moon Key. I found out you were in danger from her, and she was the one who asked me to help you."
"I really do owe her a huge favor."
After a moment of silence, Guan Tong asked, "What are your plans next?"
"Heal up, then go save my wife and child."
"That's going to be tough in your current condition."
Even though Adam had reached the Second Stage of Ascension, his shattered body couldn't regenerate on its own. Without the help of an Ascendant with limb-regeneration abilities or relevant medicinal items, it would be nearly impossible for him to recover his peak strength.
On top of that, Suroma had specially designed 'Red Demon' combat mechs to counter his abilities. Guan Tong had destroyed the one on the island, but as long as the complete design blueprints remained, it was only a matter of time before Suroma built another—or five, or ten. Even a fully healthy Adam couldn't destroy a single Red Demon, let alone him now, with a missing arm and leg and drastically reduced strength.
Adam laughed bitterly. "So blunt, huh? I'm seriously injured here—you could at least consider my feelings a little."
Guan Tong said flatly, "I think your mental resilience isn't that fragile."
"Tch..."
Adam sighed, a deep sadness flickering in his eyes.
"They're suffering because of me. How can I just sit here in peace?"
"...All of you—what exactly is the Eden Project all about?"
Adam looked up. "Since you know that name, it means you have some understanding of the plan. But if I tell you, you might become an enemy of Bruce, of Suroma. Are you sure you want to know?"
"Does Bruce represent all of Suroma?" Guan Tong countered. "I don't believe being enemies with one man is the same as being enemies with an entire nation. Don't forget, history's tyrants were often overthrown by their own people. And besides, his arrangements during the last assassination mission nearly got us killed."
Guan Tong stared at Adam and spoke bluntly, "That includes you, Adam. You were an accomplice in that incident too. I saved you, but that doesn't mean it's all forgiven. Even if you were coerced or unaware of part of it, you still led us into the cultists' trap."
"...I know. That's a sin I have to bear. If I get the chance, I'll atone for it."
"What exactly is the Eden Project?"
"...Bruce launched this project right after the first Doomsday Rule appeared. He claimed two goals. First, to preserve more seeds for humanity. Suroma's birth rate was already very low, and after the first Doomsday Rule, it dropped off a cliff to zero. People believed children couldn't be protected in this era, and the government couldn't do anything about it. So, they carefully selected a group of exceptionally gifted Ascendants, guided them to reproduce, and used limited resources to ensure those children's survival."
"The second goal had an experimental nature. Suroma's research institute believed that children born from two Ascendants would activate the Terminal Panel at birth, making them 'Second-Generation Ascendants.' A second-generation Ascendant's base Mind Power upper limit would inherit from their first-generation parents, with even the possibility of stacking. So, by taking some risks to produce more of these children, if luck was on their side, they might end up with a super genius."
Guan Tong listened and found these goals were pretty much what Zhang Minglu had said before.
The only thing that shocked him was 'stacking inheritance.' This meant if both parents had a base Mind Power upper limit of 100, their child could be born with a Mind Power upper limit of 200—truly astonishing. Their abilities would far surpass those of the first-generation Ascendants.
"But there was a third goal—a hidden, unspeakable one." Adam's eyes turned cold as he said this. "To control us."
"Control you?"
"Remember that news report? The Ascendants of a small country overthrew their old rulers and went from being commoners to new leaders in one fell swoop." Adam said, "From the very beginning of the Doomsday Rules, Bruce and the Senate realized that while the rules were a disaster for some, for others, they were a genetic lottery that could allow a massive class leap."
"So, to prevent the same thing from happening in Suroma, Bruce and the Senate gathered Ascendants with high base Mind Power upper limits and sent them to Eden Island. They had these people build deep emotional bonds through companionship and have children. In the future, if anyone disobeyed, their spouse and child would become leverage to control that person."
I see...
After hearing this, Guan Tong couldn't help but feel a chill.
This method was undoubtedly terrifying. At this stage, even seasoned Ascendants couldn't just cast aside their emotions. Especially in Eden Island's closed-off living environment, the emotional bonds among the people there would only grow tighter.
Once members had children, those kids would become massive bargaining chips to control them. Spousal feelings might fade over time, but a child who shared their bloodline was an extension of their own life—how could they bear to sever that bond?
Especially in a disaster era like this, family bonds were all the more precious. In peacetime, it might not be so pronounced, but in such a precarious environment, a child of one's own blood could become the powerful driving force that kept someone alive.
"Your wife and child are both in Bruce's hands—how are you going to save them?" Guan Tong asked. "Even if you win in a fight, if he threatens you with them, you'll have no choice but to surrender."
Adam was silent for a moment. "I'll have to take it one step at a time. And I can't afford to wait—if it takes too long, Bruce might brainwash my child."
Guan Tong's heart stirred. "Your child... could it be..."
"That's right." Adam knew what Guan Tong was asking and admitted it. "My daughter—she's that incredibly lucky super genius. From the moment she was born, she had a base Mind Power upper limit of 210, and her natural growth rate is extremely fast. She was born in January 2041, and by 2042—this past January—her Mind Power upper limit was already close to 400."
"Close to 400?" Guan Tong was stunned. "That's almost one point of natural growth every two days. At this rate... she's not even two years old, and she's already surpassed many first-generation Ascendants."
Adam nodded. "There's no doubt she's the child Bruce wanted. Since February this year, Bruce secretly took her away from the island, and I haven't seen her since. I don't know what he plans to do with my child, but it can't be anything good. If I can't get her out as soon as possible... I don't deserve to be a father."
Adam's emotions weren't too intense, but Guan Tong could feel the determination behind them.
However, facing Bruce and the Senate, who controlled the vast Suroma Empire, what could Adam—even as a top-tier Ascendant—accomplish alone? Especially now, when he was nearly half a cripple with drastically reduced strength.
"Shadow, I know this is the Countermeasures Research Office's turf. You came here with the office's intentions too, didn't you?" Adam said. "I'm well aware of my own limits. I probably can't save my wife and daughter on my own. I'll need Beixing's strength, and I'm willing to make a trade for it."
"A trade? What do you have to trade right now?"
Guan Tong sympathized with Adam, but he didn't think the Countermeasures Research Office would pick a fight with Suroma's government over him.
Especially at this stage, the Human Consortium's narrative of unity was extremely important—it was the core pillar of global stability. If the two most powerful nations within the organization went to war, the hard-won order would collapse in an instant, and no one could bear those consequences.
Adam heard this and realized the immense obstacles behind it. He slumped back against the bed. He knew that even if he offered some confidential intelligence or used his abilities to serve the office, the bargaining chips were still too few. He couldn't trade for what he wanted.
"I can pass on your intentions for you, then you can negotiate with the office people yourself. But don't get your hopes up too high." Guan Tong said, then changed his tone. "That said, I do have an invitation you might want to consider."
"An invitation?"
"I've founded an organization called the 'Trace Origin Travel Troupe.' Its purpose is to gather people willing to explore the truth behind the Doomsday Rules and the Fire Thief, and work toward that goal together. Back when we were discussing the Kimos Star fragments via private messages, I felt you had a strong interest in that direction. If your curiosity hasn't faded, consider joining us."