Li Yao's and the mental devil's tentacles snatched at the sand deep inside the ocean of data again.
Countless pieces of data leaked out through the gaps of their fingers like glittering sand.
Search, delete, exclude, and reassemble. They changed quite a few models of data capture in a row. Very soon, they found the names of three people and their 3D images.
"It seems that it's one of the three guys."
Li Yao stared at the three emotionless workers on the picture. "During the period when Gao Huan's intense feelings were stimulated, the three guys were clearly on duty, but it was difficult to find any video of them working. One of them must've been talking to Gao Huan!"
"Then, should we throw out the suspicious data?"
The mental devil asked. "Throw it out and let 'Seven Star' find it so that they can trace back to the King of Puppets."
"… Don't. Just shatter and delete all the data that we just found. This time, we must delete it even more cleanly than the King of Puppets."
Li Yao explained, "It can be seen from the data pieces just now that Gao Huan's memories were erased easily like a torch that had been burnt out after his most intense feelings were exploited. He was then sent to a certain place in the frontline as a common soldier.
"The final battle between the Holy League and the Imperium hasn't started yet. If he was lucky enough, he should still be alive right now. Chances are that his beloved wife 'Jiang Xue' is still alive, too.
"If we send the data to the yaksha squad, while it will be easier for them to trace the King of Puppets, it is very likely that they will discover Gao Huan's existence. Considering the style of the people of the Holy League, if they learn that the Love Virus is produced based on Gao Huan's love, there is a 99% chance that they will dig out Gao Huan's brain and slice it for study.
"I cannot let the people of the Holy League do that. I cannot let Gao Huan take such an unnecessary risk. With his love for his wife, he deserves a better future. He should escape from the Holy League with his wife and return to their hometown, living a peaceful but happy life!
"So, let's destroy all the data. Let's go back to Chu Zhixiao and think of a way to make her pay more attention to the three suspects.
"Now that we have basically guessed the Puppet King's identity, it will not be difficult to find his accomplices, because we are very clear about the form of Lu Qingchen's soul, the frequency of his brainwaves, and his methods of invasion. As long as we follow the picture, we will find traces sooner or later!"
"Ah …"
"I didn't know that you cared so much about the life and future of such an insignificant person as' Gao Huan '."
"Of course. This is the biggest difference between us and Lu Qingchen!"
Li Yao smiled. "Lu Qingchen can regard anybody as a stepping stone, a sacrifice, fuel, an ant, and dust. He can build a splendid path to the sky with the corpses of billions of ants, leading to the so-called 'future of the civilization of mankind' that he yearns for. But I can't do it. I will never be able to do it. In my heart, the present is as important as the future. One's life and happiness are as important as the future of mankind.
"As for who exactly is right between Lu Qingchen and me, hehe. Let history decide. In any case, I am already hundreds of years old. I will not change my mind!"
For a moment, Li Yao's soul became firmer and sharper than ever.
However, in the next moment, he chuckled from the bottom of his heart again.
"What are you laughing at?"
The mental devil asked. "Even if Lu Qingchen is really the Puppet King, the forces behind him are not fully exposed yet. The truth behind the Holy League, the Ultimate Benevolence Masters, and the gods is also enshrouded in mist. We do not know where we are going yet. But you seem to be in a good mood all of a sudden?"
"Of course, I'm in a good mood."
Li Yao said, "Because of Gao Huan's existence, I've made one thing clear to me. At the very least, Lu Qingchen was not wrong about that. Human feelings are truly the most powerful force in the universe. Even Gao Huan, a common, low-level warrior, when he unleashes his most intense love, can still shake the foundation of the Holy League. Even the five Ultimate Benevolence Masters are scared!
"If one Gao Huan can do that, if thousands of Gao Huan and thousands of compatriots with feelings can be awakened, how can the Ultimate Benevolence Masters, the Channeling Temple, and the goddamn 'Three Fundamental Laws' resist them?
"Now that I know this, I have no more doubts about the road ahead. Mankind will definitely win. The most sincere and intense emotions of mankind will definitely win. The most determined and tenacious will of mankind will definitely win. I firmly believe this!
"Gao Huan, wherever you are right now, and however many brainwashes you have been through, I believe that your love for your wife will never fade! And that woman who can make you love so deeply must also love you deeply, waiting for you to descend with the flames of war and smoke of gunpowder!
"I swear that I will fulfill your wish. I will rescue all of you and bring you back to your hometown … to the real world!"
Deep inside Li Yao's soul, the vow cut across the sky like a thunderbolt, illuminating his fighting will.
He shattered all the data related to Gao Huan and erased all the traces of his deep investigation carefully.
Guan Qixing was still searching for the upper level data on the surface, but naturally, he found nothing.
Right then, a deafening explosion burst out in the front half of the Channeling Temple, followed by a storm of gunfire. The ocean of data immediately became agitated and chaotic.
"Not good. Something has happened to the 'major' and the rest of them."
Guan Qixing sent an order to Li Yao. "Reinforce them now!"
Li Yao was slightly dazed. His soul left the Spiritual Nexus and returned to the mainframe crystal processor of the spider tank. Then, he sensed feeble quakes around him. The staff and the low-level priests were all at a loss, but the gunshots up ahead were more and more intense.
"Qixing, Red Pig!"
Chu Zhixiao's shriek echoed in the communication channel. "Come to me now!"
Li Yao and Guan Qixing rushed to the temple without any hesitation and learned the situation from Chu Zhixiao on their way.
Just now, Li Yao and Guan Qixing were asked to review the data in the mainframe crystal processor, while Chu Zhixiao, Yun Haixin, and Yuan Kou were responsible for interrogating all the staff and priests.
'Black Dream' Yun Haixin was a senior Meditation Healer. She seemed to have been engaged in the counterintelligence work of interrogating and identifying the people of the Holy League in the Imperium of True Human Beings. She was able to see through the anomaly of a certain person of the Holy League easily.
After interrogating more than a dozen staff members in a row, nothing unexpected happened. However, just as they were about to interrogate the second senior priest, something happened. This senior priest had just been hypnotized by "Black Dream" Yun Haixin, and before they could really interrogate him, he suddenly attacked. He kicked Yun Haixin away and fled.
Then, there was no doubt about it. Something must be wrong with the guy!
Chu Zhixiao and Yuan Kou had attacked him from two sides. It should have been a sure thing.
However, the priest had unexpected hypnosis and illusions techniques, too. It was possible that he had been remotely controlled by the King of Puppets, who had made Chu Zhixiao and Yuan Kou hallucinate for half a second. Then, he crawled out of the gap between the two of them and fled to the depths of the Channeling Temple.
The Channeling Temple was an asteroid fortress floating in the sea of stars. It was surrounded by the cold vacuum and the dark universe. There was nowhere to run at all.
After the yaksha squad arrived, all the spaceports were temporarily blocked, allowing entry but not exit. No starships were allowed to leave.
Therefore, the priest should not have been able to get away.
However, he, or the King of Puppets behind him, seemed to have realized that he was caught in a dilemma. In a certain weird way, he 'detonated' the 'emotional bombs' that had been buried deep inside the Channeling Temple, allowing the Love Virus to explode in the brains of countless captives of the Imperium who were being brainwashed!
The captives of the Imperium who were lying in the metal cocoons had not completely wiped away their memories and self-awareness in the first place. Their heads were still filled with fear and hatred for the Holy League.
Now, the Puppet King had added fuel to the fire and splashed a ladle of the hottest love. How could they not go crazy?
When Li Yao and Guan Qixing arrived at the temple, what they saw was a blood-freezing scene.
Inside the translucent metal cocoons, hypnosis drugs and purging drugs were boiling like magma. The 'people of the Holy League' who had been crouching inside as quietly as babies were struggling and roaring crazily, knocking the shells hard.
Countless strong captives of the Imperium had long broken the shells and jumped down, too.
Their eyes were bloodshot, and their faces were hideous, as if they had just witnessed their most beloved being killed miserably in front of them. Venomous hatred was flowing out of their every pore.
"Jiang Xue! Jiang Xue! You killed Jiang Xue!"
The human-shaped ferocious beasts, who were ignorant and somewhere between the people of the Imperium and the people of the Holy League, let out painful and furious roars and lunged at the yaksha squad as well as the regular Purgers, cleaners, and workers nearby.
Ripples of confusion spread out of Li Yao's soul. A moment later, he realized what was going on. As it turned out, Lu Qingchen had made up all kinds of 'scripts' based on Gao Huan's feelings, which could transform the most passionate love into the most intense hatred at any moment.
Although the cleaners of the yaksha squad were strong, they were outnumbered after all. Faced with tens of thousands of human-shaped ferocious beasts whose eyes were red and who were shouting 'Jiang Xue' at the same time, they felt that it was rather tricky. They did not dare act recklessly, fearing that the ferocious beasts would be even more aggressive and hateful.
More importantly, the infected people were not their target at all. The priest who was fleeing in panic was the key to finding the King of Puppets!
"Red Pig, Seven Star, lock onto the priest!"
Surrounded, Chu Zhixiao bellowed, "Do not let him run away or commit suicide. He is our only clue to find the King of Puppets. Everything will be doomed if the clue is broken!
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
